By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives is committed to making justice timely and accessible to all in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Chairman of the House Committee on FCT Judiciary, Hon. Adamu Gamawa, restated this commitment during a public hearing on two bills in Abuja.
The two bills aim to increase the number of judges in the FCT and establish lower courts with jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters.
“It is the vision of the Hon. Speaker that access to justice is made available and affordable to all and sundry in the FCT,” Gamawa said.
A strengthened judicial system is key to restoring public confidence in the judiciary. Gamawa emphasized that the House is committed to a functional judiciary that provides timely justice to all.
The public hearing provides a platform for constructive discussion and cross-fertilization of ideas. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Hon. Aliyu Madaki, reiterated the House’s commitment to the rule of law and fair justice administration.
The President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Afam Osigwe, expressed support for the bill. However, he solicited for a shift in customary laws, demanding the expunction of section 16 of the principal Act.
The proposed bills aim to make access to justice simple and fast, reducing the workload of judges and promoting timely justice delivery. The House of Representatives is determined to make justice accessible to all, regardless of class or social status.
In another development, The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has announced plans to establish a National Sports Academy to nurture young Nigerian talents. “I believe that at the end of the day, this initiative will bring a lot of international stars that Nigeria will be proud of,” he said.
Speaker Abbas stressed the importance of reviving grassroots sports development to reclaim Nigeria’s former dominance in global sports competitions. He criticized the existing system, where athlete selection is often influenced by personal connections rather than merit, as a major obstacle to progress.
The proposed National Sports Academy will identify and develop young talents through grassroots competitions. The academy will provide a platform for sports development, leading to international success.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Kabiru Amadu, lauded the Federal Government and National Assembly for increasing the sports sector budget by 288% to ₦113 billion in 2025.
Amadu emphasized that grassroots sports investment nurtures young people’s potential. He noted that the equipment represents opportunities for growth, empowerment, and national advancement.
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, emphasized the need to shift Nigeria’s sports orientation from competition-driven to development-driven. “We want to make sports an international asset that will bring social life together and make the country proud,”he said.
A bill to restructure the entire sports ecosystem in Nigeria is on its way to the House of Representatives. The proposed legislation aims to create necessary agencies and development funds to drive sports development in the country.
