…..promises to synergise with stakeholders
The Kano State Government has expressed its willingness and readiness to implement the National policy on Justice that will enhance efficient and effective justice delivery and national development.
This was made known in an interview with media correspondents by Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Ibrahim Mukhtar, Esq at the National Sensitization Workshop on National Policy on Justice held for the thirteen states of the North West and North East Zones in Kano city, Kano State on Tuesday 5th December, 2017.
Representing the Executive Governor of Kano State, the AG who also declared the Workshop open, said that Governor Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has expressed happiness for hosting the National Workshop on National Policy on Justice 2017. He expressed that, “without the policy, there would be no national development and justice sector”. “We are ready and willing to implement the policy in its entity and if there is the need for improvement, we are joining to improve and develop the policy we are having”.
The AG explained that the central goal of the policy is to work in synergy with stakeholders including the Nigeria Prisons Service, Nigeria Police Force, Judiciary, State Ministries of Justice and institutions, together in understanding towards improved justice service delivery.
In his welcome address, the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata, Esq. acknowledged and thanked the Honourable Attorney General Of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN for his leadership and unflinching commitment to the reform of the justice system. He said, “The Federal Ministry of Justice under his leadership has continued to lead the process of galvanizing the justice sector to play its role in national development”.
He explained that the policy would provide a blueprint that outlines the various reforms desirable in the justice sector to engender smooth, fair, just and transparent administration of justice in the country. It will also provide the needed professional guidance for all justice sector institutions in the discharge of their duties and the attainment of an effective and efficient administration of justice.
Apata said that the sensitization workshop would provide a forum for the policy to be critically examined through the various presentations to be made and inputs harvested into an implementation strategy plan to be develop for the implementation of the policy.
He assured that participants’ contributions would in no doubt, enrich the plan and ensure its smooth implementation when finalized.
The SGF expressed appreciation to the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for his support in organizing the workshop. He thanked all stakeholders for their support in collective efforts at reforming the justice sector and for attending the workshop.
Answering questions from the journalists, Professor Tawfiq Ladan, of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria who is also a Resource Person at the Sensitization workshop explained that the workshop is aimed at bringing together various justice stakeholders from the Judiciary, Security Intelligence, private legal practitioners, civil societies in the justice sector to articulate a common vision, to understand the National Policy on Justice 2017 as the first ever comprehensive policy and also seek collaboration, cooperation and synergy with all justice sector institutions under one policy.
Also in attendance at the two-day workshop are participants at the workshop from thirteen states of the North West/ North East Zones which included Judges, States Attorneys General and Commissioners of Justice, Solicitors General and Permanent Secretaries, members of the Nigeria Bar Association, Civil Society organizations, Nigeria Prisons Service, Nigeria Police Force, Justice sector Institutions and Senior Officials from the Federal Ministry of Justice among others.
Ogundoro Modupe
Deputy Director
