…….as House C’ttee members visit FMOJ
The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (HAGF) Abubakar Malami SAN, has said that evidence reveals that Administration of Justice which guarantees sustainable peace, equity and fair play is undeniably capital intensive.
Malami made this known during the 2020 Budget Oversight visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Justice in Abuja on Monday October 19th,2020.
He explained that all the Parastatals under the purview of the Federal Ministry of Justice(FMOJ) are in dire need of funding, adding that it is dangerous as it is disturbing because funding gaps in the face of competing challenges could endanger effective administration of justice and unwarranted travesty of Justice.
According to him, “True enough, the Justice Sub-Sector is not a huge revenue generating sub-sector. This has arisen largely because our constitutional obligations revolve around social services geared towards a peaceful, cohesive, and prosperous Nigeria,’’.
‘’ As subsector, our revenue derives essentially from our constitutional activities and returns such as Value Added Tax, Withholding Tax, Stamp Duties, Returns on DTA, Certified True Copies, Earnings from use of government Halls, Tenders Fees, Earnings from Sales of government unserviceable Vehicles, Sales of Law Books, and Journals, Rent of government Properties which are evidently attached as: Actual Revenue Generated and Lodgement Treasury”, he noted.
The HAGF further explained that the Ministry was mandated to embark on looted assets recovery and they have made appreciably recovery in that regard as monies recovered were promptly deposited into government treasury for effects.
He noted that presently they are making efforts to ensure that they are given some requisite commissions stemming from recovered funds to bankroll the recovery operations.
The Minister maintained that, “to date there are quantum of illicit sums of money stashed abroad for which we are working at close quarters with the ICPC, and the EFCC as dependable allies largely to effect recovery”.
‘’As 2021 beckons, I am looking forwards to a more refreshing feeling of common bond between the Justice sub-sector and all the Honourable Members of the National Assembly for a seamless Administration of Justice in Nigeria’’, Malami added.
He noted that the year 2020 is rolling to an end and is replete with fair and unfair challenges arising from competing needs and demands especially given the Covid-19 Pandemic Challenges. He pointed to the fact that the Justice sub-sector superintends over the rule of law, and they should reconceptualise the Justice Delivery and Administration in a heterogeneous society as theirs.
Malami thanked the Committee Members for their diligent and unwavering long standing support for the Justice Sub-Sector and assured that his Ministry will do its best at ensuring that the nuances of politics does not compromise the electoral correctness.
The Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary FMOJ, Dayo Apata, SAN, said the visit is to brief the Committee on 2020 budget, capital and recurrent expenditure, list of projects embarked on, revenue received, up-to- date nominal roll of staff, success story of the ministry and challenges.
The Chairman, House Committee on Justice, Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo said the Budget Oversight visit to the Ministry was to review the implementation of 2020 Budget in order to determine the successes as well as the challenges recorded so far.
Modupe Ogundoro
Deputy Director (Information)
