INTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND EFFICIENT SERVICE DELIVERY BY THE CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Life is all about decisions and choices. Each choice or decision has explicit as well as implicit effect on social relations. The work considered the manner of social relations in the customary court of Appeal Awka, Anambra State Nigeria, from the angle of the effect of the internal environmental challenges on effective service delivery by the Customary Court of Appeal Awka Anambra State, Nigeria. Since human societies are faced with; how do we promote better social relations among our people? How do we enhance harmony, unity, love, happiness? How do we reduce discrimination, dislike, hatred, violence and other negative reflexes? How do we achieve these from the point of view of the service of the Customary Court of Appeal Awka? What are the impediments to the realization of better social relations among the citizens and residents of the State as a Community? This work approached this matter from the angle of the internal environmental challenges to efficient service delivery in the customary court of appeal Awka. The broad objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of internal environmental challenges on efficient service delivery by the Customary Court of Appeal Awka. The design adopted in the study is the descriptive survey design. The total population of the study who are staff of the Customary Court of Appeal Awka as stated by the Payroll Units under Administration department is Eight Hundred and Forty Nine (849). The sample size as determined by the application of the Taro Yamene formula was 272, Yamane, (1964p.280). The sampling technique was purposive. In this regard the researchers took note of certain demographics. Some of the major findings are Tardiness in the transfer of cases from the customary courts to the Customary Court of Appeal; poor treatment of files to the extent of the disappearance of case files; poor infrastructural facilities that contribute to the entire poor situation; incompetence in the sense of staff quality and quantity; the use of mud houses, village square and village halls with the attendant security implications and effect on judgments. Finally, having addressed the deep internal systemic issues, the paper recommended the implementation of strategic planning in the Customary Court of Appeal Awka which will significantly improve service delivery of the institution; the institution should always carry out job performance evaluation to ascertain whether with what is available to her core objective are achievable or not. The training of staff of the institution should be given adequate attention to ensure competence of the staff in terms of quality.