As part of the ongoing judiciary reform aimed at efficient and accelerated justice delivery, the Enugu State Government, in partnership with Lextech Ecosystem Limited, has successfully graduated 39 pioneer verbatim court reporters.
The milestone, celebrated at a colourful ceremony held at the Innocent Umezulike Auditorium, High Court Complex, Enugu, marks the first cohort of specially trained professionals to transcribe court proceedings in real time using cutting-edge legal technology.
Speaking at the graduation event on Tuesday, the state governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, said the initiative aligned with his administration’s broader reforms in the judiciary.
His Special Adviser on Legal Matters represented the governor, Barrister Osinachi Nnajieze. He emphasised that the newly trained court reporters will ensure speedy and transparent justice in the state’s courtrooms.
“You are going to be one of the first fruits of our reform,” the governor said, adding, “You will set the pace, help us to take records accurately and retrieve them quickly.”
Governor Mbah congratulated the graduates for completing the rigorous training programme and praised their dedication and resilience throughout the training.
“You came this far because you are good enough. Your story in the judiciary starts now,” he said, reiterating his administration’s commitment to ensuring the judiciary is adequately supported and not left behind in the ongoing technological revolution across government institutions.
Delivering his keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of Lextech Ecosystem Limited, Emeka Albert, described the event as a significant leap in judicial innovation in Nigeria. He said the project was conceived to close the long-standing gap in accurate and efficient court reporting, which has hampered justice administration for decades.
“You are the torchbearers of a transformative movement in the judicial system,” Albert told the graduates, saying their resilience, focus, and adaptability had prepared them to elevate the quality of justice delivery in the state.
He commended the governor’s vision and commitment to ensuring a world-class judiciary that will speed up the dispensation of justice in the state.
In their goodwill messages, dignitaries, including the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Hon. Justice Ozoemenam Afojulu, represented by Justice Ngozi Oji; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, represented by a ministry director, Uzoamaka Okeji; and a legal luminary, Mr. Anthony Ani, SAN, lauded Governor Mbah’s visionary leadership and support for the judiciary to function efficiently and transparently.
According to them, introducing digitised verbatim court reporting would enhance transparency, accuracy, and public trust in the state’s judiciary.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Ezeme Chibuikem, the best overall graduating student, thanked the state government, Lextech, and all stakeholders for the opportunity to participate in the technical and specialised training, pledging their collective commitment to excellence and professionalism in the discharge of their duties.
The event also featured the presentation of certificates, awards, and a graduation cake-cutting ceremony, signalling a new dawn for court reporting in Enugu State.
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