CSO Decries Poor Funding, State Of Infrastructure At Akwa Ibom Judiciary

The Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN) has expressed dismay over poor funding and decaying infrastructure crippling the Akwa Ibom judicial system.

CHRAN noted that effective administration of justice could be hampered if urgent measures were not put in place to address the flaws.

The CSO called on Governor Umo Emo to urgently intervene by giving a face-lift to courts across the 31 local government areas of the state and as well recruit personnel to strengthen the system in the state.

It added that adequate funding was necessary for judicial officers not to bend the course of justice.

The group’s Director in the state, Mr Franklyn Isong, who made the call while briefing Journalists during a media parley to mark end of the year activities of the Centre, lamented that facilities in the courts have broken down and become obsolete.

Isong listed faulty toilets, fittings and water system in those facilities as those requiring urgent government intervention.

“The CHRAN drew the attention of the State administration to the issues of understaffing and poor state of infrastructure and facilities, including toilets, fittings, water, in the Courts spread across the 31 Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State.

“The Centre appealed to the State administration to ensure the recruitment of personnel into the State Judiciary and also give a facelift to the Courts spread across the 31 Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State”.

Isong, who was giving sectoral assessment during the media parley also drew the attention of the Governor to the abandoned Divisional Library which he noted was established by the military administration in the defunct South Eastern State.

“CHRAN drew the attention of the State administration to the poor state of infrastructure at the Divisional Library, Udotung Ubo Street, Uyo due to abandonment by successive administrations in the State.

“The Centre recalled that the Divisional Library at Udotung Ubo Street, which now harbours the Akwa Ibom State Library Board, Uyo, was built and stocked about half a century ago by the then military administration in the defunct South Eastern State,” he said.

He further expressed concern on the closure of Calabar-Itu Highway due to the ongoing construction of Tabernacle Road and flood control project in the state, lamenting that the closure has brought serious economic challenges to residents and motorists plying the road.

According to him, “The Center called for expeditious attention by the contractors and the supervising Ministry”.

Isong also frowned at the dormant state of the multi-billion naira Ibom E-Library, adding that findings by the group had revealed that the place is no longer functioning as a library.

“Findings by CHRAN indicate that the Ibom E-Library at Babangida Avenue, Uyo is no longer functioning as a library. The Centre urged urgent action to revitalise the Ibom E-Library and other public libraries in the State” Isong stated

On Anti-open Grazing Law in the state, the director who lauded the enactment of the law by the immediate-past administration of Mr. Udom Emmanuel, however, lamented that the law is only been partially enforced in some parts of the state.

He urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Internal Security and Waterways to fully implement the law as a step to checking grazing of cattle on farmlands.