Mbah Pledges Tech-Driven Judiciary, Improved Welfare for Workers

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By Iheanyi Chukwudi

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, has expressed the state government's willingness to embrace a hi-tech judicial system that eliminates outdated processes and strengthens justice delivery.

Disclosing this at the annual conference of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Enugu Branch, held at the Justice A.I. Umezuruike Auditorium, High Court, Enugu, the Governor said the system will also prioritize the welfare of workers across all sectors.

Mbah who spoke on the theme, “Embracing Disruptive Innovation: Leveraging Technology to Enhance Justice Administration and Delivery in Enugu State,” and who was represented by his Special Adviser on Legal Matters, Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze, said his administration was committed to transparency, integrity, efficiency, and speed in justice delivery through technology.

Highlighting the innovations already introduced, including e-affidavits, e-filing, virtual hearings, and electronic transcript services through verbatim reporting, Mbah said, “A few weeks ago, I inaugurated the first trainees on verbatim reporting. This initiative is not just about legal tech, it is also creating new jobs and equipping our youths with future-proof skills."

The Governor stressed his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare, citing recent wage improvements, noting, “We have paid Enugu workers above the national minimum wage and doubled the pay of customary court chairmen and members. This demonstrates our appreciation of the workforce’s role in driving growth."

Linking justice reforms to his broader economic vision, he said, “Our goal of growing the state’s GDP from $4.4 billion to $30 billion depends on ease of doing business. The rule of law is essential to that, and a vibrant judiciary is at the heart of the rule of law."

JUSUN Enugu Chairman, Comr. Sampson Ifedimma, in his address, praised what he described as Governor Mbah’s tireless commitment to workers’ welfare and reforms. He said the digitization of the judiciary was equipping staff with modern skills, urging members to embrace ICT.

He said, “In this digital dispensation, literacy is no longer optional, it is a lifeline. Those who neglect it risk redundancy and stagnation,” he warned.

Ifedimma also appealed for the allocation of land for a Judicial Staff Farm Settlement, to key into the state’s agricultural revival program.