Customary Court Amendment Bill Scales First Reading

A bill seeking to repeal the Rivers State Customary Court Law (Cap 40), 1999 laws of the State and Amendment of Customary Court law No. 4 of 2009, has gone through first reading on the floor of the State Assembly.

Presenting the bill at last Wednesday’s sitting, its sponsor, Hon. Golden Chioma, representing Etche Constituency II, said the bill when passed into law, will revolutionalise the customary court system in the State.

Hon. Chioma who is also the House Committee Chairman on Judiciary explained that the bill has 18 parts, five schedules and provides a section that deals with the appointment of Advisers to aid members of the Customary Court in the discharge of their duties.

According to the lawmaker, another important aspect of the bill is the schedule that gives exclusive right to the Customary Court to deal with chieftaincy matters, pointing out that the origin of the institution  puts them under the purview of the local courts.

He opined that the law, when operational, would strengthen determination of cases at the Customary Court level and reduce the volume of work on the High Courts.

In another development, the Chairman, House Committee on Environment. Hon. Victoria Nyeche presented report of her committee on the bill to provide a law on Environmental Sanitation and Waste Management.

The House unanimously agreed to defer debate on the report to Monday when it reconvenes.