Let your decisions bring about unity in the workplace, AGF Fagbemi encourages the judges

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On Tuesday, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who is both the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, urged the judges of Nigeria’s National Industrial Court (NICN) to make sure that their rulings foster industrial harmony and can bring in FDI.

He made the accusation during a special court session to commemorate the 2024/2025 Legal Year of the NICN.

Fagbemi emphasized the importance of the National Industrial Court in creating a favorable climate for businesses to flourish and boost Nigeria’s economy.

In order to promote sustainable development, create jobs, and attract foreign investment, industrial harmony is crucial.

His reasoning was that the court’s decisions will affect our industries’ efficiency and stability, therefore it would be wise for the justices to base their conclusions on well-grounded legal concepts and an in-depth knowledge of the labor market’s complexity.

He went on to say that the Industrial Court judges should always work toward a fair solution that satisfies everyone involved (employers, employees, and society at large).

He also said that the court should pay extra attention to cases involving the disturbing and ever-increasing prevalence of harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

He emphasized the need of effective human resource policies in promoting discipline, diversity, welfare, and stability in both the public and commercial sectors, while also stating that the court is required to disapprove of heinous labor abuses.

The National Industrial Court will need to keep pouring money into its buildings, employees, and tech if it wants to reach this target.

To cut down on case backlogs, the court should look into ways to be more efficient using technological means.

He went on to say that this could need enhancing its methods for alternative conflict resolution.

The minister also brought up the idea of updating present labor and trade legislation with the latest developments in the field and relevant ILO agreements in order to bring them into line with modern realities.

In addition, Fagbemi urged the court to broaden its scope to include activities involving stakeholders in order to build a culture of industrial peace and avoid disputes from getting worse, in partnership with the Ministry of Labor.

“If we really want to grow our economy beyond where it is now, Nigeria cannot afford to keep going down this path of constant labor unrest and strike actions,” he continued.

In an earlier presentation, Justice Benedict Kanyip, president of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), reassured plaintiffs that the court has made various proactive measures to fulfill the guarding principle of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and ensure the prompt dispensation of justice.

He revealed that one of the measures is the launch of a Judgement Portal (https://www.nicnadr.gov.ng/) where court rulings are posted after they have been handed down.

Every day, we work hard as a court to enhance the way we administer justice and gain the public’s trust so that we can continue to provide excellent service.

So, our digital solutions that were put in place to make the court procedure easier have gotten better.

For example, we have recently established two new portals—the CTC (Certified True Copies) and the final written address—and improved our website, judgment, and cause-list portals.

You can now submit written addresses online and acquire certified accurate copies of judgments. Discs or flash devices containing addresses written by hand are thus no longer necessary.

In his opinion, the new portals should be introduced to the court judges on Thursday, October 10, 2024.

According to Kanyip, there have been 8,608 pending cases since the court’s last legal year celebration in 2022. Out of those, 1,616 cases had judgements rendered, and 6,992 cases are still waiting.

According to the National Judicial Council (NJC) data, the Industrial Court’s workload ratio per judge was 186.80 in the first quarter of 2024, as pointed out by the court’s president.

To get this number, we divided the total number of cases that were outstanding at the conclusion of the quarter by the number of judges that are currently on the bench.

But the fact remains that different sections of the judiciary put different amounts of strain on individual judges.

the is to say, the resident judge in the Owerri Division takes on more cases than any other judge in the court because there are more than 500 cases in the division’s docket and there is only one resident judge in Makurdi Division as well.

We have been unable to assign a second judge to the Owerri division, the Makurdi division, or any of the other divisions due to a lack of facilities, including a second courtroom and a second house, respectively.

He expressed his hope that the issues could be resolved and that additional judges would be appointed to these divisions soon due to increased budget.

At the same time, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), made an observation in his own remarks about how the NICN’s rulings impact the economy and society. Whether it’s a ruling on a big oil and gas labor dispute or a judgement affecting civil service employees, the court acts as a stabilizing force, fostering social harmony and economic advancement.

The NICN’s duty does not end with the cases it hears. The principles of justice, equity, and fairness are reflected in every choice you make.

Problems including employment stability, pay rates, and working conditions are at the heart of many labor disputes.

When deciding these cases, the court must weigh the interests of both parties, the workers’ right to fair treatment and the employers’ right to thrive in the face of a more difficult economic climate.

Prompt, equitable, and unbiased administration of labor justice is optimal for the public interest. Employees are more inclined to contribute to the economy when they have faith in the safety of their rights and can pursue justice without fear of punishment.

He made a similar point, saying that firms are more likely to invest in themselves and the country when they are not worried about becoming the targets of unfair claims and disputes.

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