Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, has explained why the just commissioned Gombe Division of the Court of Appeal was created, saying the expansion was aimed at reducing difficulties associated with long distant travels to courts, cost of transportation and delays due to court congestion.
Speaking at the commissioning of the on Thursday in Gombe, Bulkachuwa said the Court of Appeal is primarily an appellate court which hears appeals from some specified courts and tribunals in the country. And that the long-distance from Gombe, Yobe and Borno states to the Jos division of the Court of Appeal necessitated the establishment of the Gombe division so as to bring justice closer to the people.
The president, who earlier led a team of the presiding justices of various divisions of the Court of Appeal on a courtesy visit to the state governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya at the Government House, appreciated the state government for its support towards the speedy realization of the Court of Appeal division in Gombe, including the provision of the temporary court complex and the presentation of the title documents of the allocated permanent site.
On his part, Governor Yahaya expressed optimism that the new division of the Court of Appeal will help promote faster adjudication of judicial matters and increase access to justice for the people. He said the establishment of the division in the state marks an important milestone in the development of the judiciary, noting that since its establishment in 1976 the Court of Appeal has continued to serve as an intermediary and appellate tribunal between the Supreme Court and the lower courts.
“It is for the respect I have for the constituted authority, rule of law and the principle of separation of powers that saw to the support of this government for the judiciary which has a crucial role in nation-building,” the governor said while commending the role played by the president of the Court of Appeal as well as other individuals in making the dream of the establishment of the appellate court in the state a reality.
He then announced that the state government has in a show of appreciation deemed it fit to rename the state’s Women and Children Hospital after Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa for her contribution to the growth and development of the Judiciary in the country.