………….As The Minister Advocates Enhanced Welfare For The Judiciary.
The Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. (Engr.) Nweze David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE has advocated for better welfare for judiciary officers. He stated this at the occasion of the Court of Appeal’s Annual End of Year Conference on Thursday, 12th December, 2024.
Umahi emphasised the critical role of infrastructure development in fast tracking the dispensation of justice and fostering national progress, also expressed appreciation for the judiciary’s indispensable contributions to good governance, as well as reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the effective delivery of justice through the provision of critical road infrastructure.
The Minister outlined the major achievements of the Ministry to include but not limited to;
i. Improved access to judicial facilities: significant progress has been made in constructing and rehabilitating road networks that connect rural and urban communities, ensuring seamless access to courts for legal practitioners, litigants and the general public and
ii. Modernisation of court infrastructure: collaborative efforts with stakeholders have supported the construction of state-of-the-art court complexes and the adoption of digital infrastructure for virtual hearings and e-filing systems.
Engr. Umahi also highlighted specific projects completed in judicial zones, which have greatly enhanced mobility of personnel and materials, as well as judicial efficiency.
“Access road plays a critical role in adjudication. I can recall watching a particular video clip, where lawyers going to court in a particular state got to a particular spot, where they could not drive their cars into the court premises. It was during the rainy season and the Access Road to the Court was in a dilapidated state, some lawyers turned back, while others removed their shoes and socks, folded their trousers and walked through the path to the Court. I wandered what the Honourable Judge might have done, each day he got to that spot during the rainy season, knowing that lack of Access Road to the Court cannot be an excuse for not filing adequate case returns in each quarter. It provision ensures that everyone has equal opportunity to seek redress and participate in the adjudication process,” he added.
The Minister emphasised that easy access to Courts eliminate delay occasioned by travel difficulties, guaranteeing a more efficient judicial process. In effect, improving the road infrastructure will significantly enhance the overall effectiveness of the legal system.
He maintained that the welfare and working conditions for Judicial Officers will add a huge impetus to higher productivity and greater commitment to work and greatly reduce corruption.
The Minister further revealed that the Renewed Hope Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR inherited a total of 18,932.50 kilometres of ongoing projects with a total of 2,064 subsisting contracts, some of which have lasted for 18 to 20 years, valued at N14,424,982,425,616.40k (fourteen trillion, four hundred and twenty-four billion, nine hundred and eighty-two million, four hundred and twenty-five thousand, six hundred and sixteen naira, forty kobo) as of 29th May, 2023.
He also revealed that President Tinubu’s roadmap on road infrastructure centres on how to restore the confidence of Nigerians on the Federal roads. He also acknowledged challenges such as funding constraints and bureaucratic delays, stressing the importance of innovative approaches, and partnerships to overcoming them, stressing that the Ministry is proactively exploring opportunities for enhanced collaboration with the judiciary and the private sector toward ensuring sustainable infrastructure development.
Engr. Umahi unveiled plans for upcoming projects that aim to further facilitate judicial operations and improved accessibility, nationwide. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to supporting the judiciary and fostering an environment where justice delivery is seamless and effective. He, finally, expressed gratitude to the judiciary for its partnership, while pledging continued dedication to national development.
Earlier, in a Keynote Address, the Chief Justice of the Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kereke-Ekun harped on the importance of judicial introspection, ethical conduct and leveraging technology for a more efficient and effective system. She highlighted the need for multi judge deliberations to improve appellate courts’ decisions and stressed the adoption of innovative practices like alternative dispute resolution and improved case management to address judicial back logs and public trust issues.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Session, a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Kanu Agabi, SAN criticised the societal tendency to blame Judges for systemic corruption, while urging the judiciary to defend its independence. He called for the National Judicial Council (NJC) to protect Judges against unwarranted accusations, advocating for being focused on fairness and integrity in all court rulings.
Mr. Agabi described the Minister as a very intelligent, honest and hardworking person, who transformed Ebonyi State and is now replicating same at the Federal level as the Minister of Works. He cautioned Nigerians against placing much emphasis on corruption but to concentrate on those things that stands us out in the comity of nations.
Signed
Mohammed A. Ahmed,
Director, Press and Public Relations.
