By Monsuru Olowoopejo

Lagos—Divorce cases and landlords against tenants disputes, came top in a total of 22,389 issues recorded and resolved this year alone by the Citizens Mediation Centre, CMC in Lagos State.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode

Also recorded were issues involving employee/employers, funds disputes and others

The statistics was disclosed yesterday by Director of Citizens Mediation Centre, CMC, Mrs. Toyin Odusanya at the Public Advice Centre, PAC, advisory day tagged ‘legal clinic’, held in Ikeja.

The Director, who was represented by Mr Rotimi Odutola, noted that some of the issues were handed over to the agency by courts that realized that legal proceedings would prolong them.

Odusanya said that all the issues have been resolved through the agency, saying: “this has helped to allow the magistrate and judges in the state to attend to critical issues and save cost for the parties.”

She said the agency which started as complaints centre in 1999 has been providing free Alternative Dispute Resolutions, ADR, to issues involving residents of the state, adding that residents are free to approach the centre on any kind of disputes.

Vanguard gathered last year that a total of 34, 511 cases were received; 20, 966 were mediated on but only 19, 464 were resolved. Also, 3, 622 matters were adjourned while 1, 351 others were unresolved.

Speaking earlier, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, urged residents to take advantage of government’s initiative of providing citizens with easy access to information and advises on a wide range of issues.

Speaking further on the functions of PAC, Director of the agency, Tola Akinsanya noted that it was specifically created to serve as port of call on how to take action and seek redress on injustices.

Akinsanya explained that part of the functions of PAC is to receive and treat numerous petitions from residents, seek advice and help on different issues such as violation of human rights, child abuse, work benefits and pensions, social benefit and child rights, sexual offences and domestic violence, employer and employee matters, among others.

She noted that the agency has units, such as Citizens’ Rights; General and Public Trustee; Citizens’ Mediation Centre, Office of Public Defender (OPD) and Special task force on land grabbers, among others, where the issues are treated.