The Federal Government is making efforts to reform the Justice Sector as the Federal Ministry of Justice is currently holding national sensitization workshops across the six geo-political zones in the country with a view to fashion out a national policy on justice for the nation.
The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.made this known in his speech delivered at the National Sensitization Workshop on the National Policy on Justice recently held n the South East Zone of Enugu State.
Malami, represented by the Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mr. Mohammed Umar Etsu disclosed that the national policy which marked the watershed in the efforts at providing opportunities and platforms to strengthening collaboration, coordination and consensus-builders among the Justice Sector Institutions for effective service delivery and promoting the rule of law and socio-economic development.
According to him, “the need for the national policy arose due to absence of a framework that addresses the imperative of building consensus amongst justice sector institutions without compromising the fundamentals of the federal system of government”.
“In a federation and constitutional democracy, the need for the Federal, States and other stakeholders in the justice sector to collaborate to drive the reform of the justice system for national development cannot be over-emphasized”, he explained.
He added that, “the National Policy on Justice is therefore the fulcrum of the collaboration towards addressing the various challenges militating against the justice system and defines its principles, values, integrity, security and accountability.”
He said, “This workshop therefore underscores the determination of the Federal Ministry of Justice under our leadership to continue to mobilize justice sector institutions to put in place structures and policies to address the various challenges militating against the justice system in the country”.
In its collaborative efforts with stakeholders in the justice sector and institutions, the Ministry has commenced the National Sensitization Workshop starting with the South South Zone: Benin, Edo state; South West Zone: Ibadan, Oyo State; South East Zone: Enugu. The National Workshop is moving to the North Central Zone of Kwara State, North East and North West respectively.
The Minister explained that the main objective is to allow participants to critically examine the policy and initiate an implementation roadmap that will articulate into an implementation strategy plan. The strategy plan will thereafter serve as the framework upon which the policy is implemented, monitored and evaluated by all stakeholders.
The implementation of the plan will promote an effective and efficient administration of justice, guarantee the freedom of the people and propel the socio-economic development of the nation.
Expected stakeholders at the national workshops holding at different six geo-political zones in the country are the State Governors, State Chief Judges, Members of States Executive Council, Justice Sector Institutions, Chairmen of various Chapters of Nigerian Bar Association, Civil Society groups, and the media.
The reform of the justice sector is a critical component of the overall agenda of the administration to fight corruption, develop the economy, promote respect for human rights and due process and build public confidence in the justice system.
Ogundoro Modupe
Deputy Director
