The Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, (FMoJ) Dayo Apata Esq., has charged the Justice sector reform teams in various States of the federation to activate the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
Mr. Apata who was represented at the conference by Mrs. Maria Austin Odigie, Director, Criminal Justice Sector Reform Department of the Ministry, gave the charge recently, at a 3-day Network of Justice Sector Reform Teams conference, that held in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The workshop was organized by the Federal Ministry of Justice through the Federal Justice Sector Reform Coordinating Committee (FJSRCC) in conjunction with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (ROLAC) project.
According to Apata Esq., the FMoJ through the FJSRCC has embarked on a nation-wide train the trainer workshop, for the institutions covered by Sections, 29, 33 and 34 of the ACJA, which border on safeguarding rights of prison inmates.
He urged States Reform Teams to work with the officers of institutions from their State that have been trained to drive the implementation of the provisions in their State using the adopted templates and protocols.
“The templates and protocols set out agreed principles and guidelines, for robust information gathering, sharing and management, as well as framework for resolving cross institutional problems.”
“I urge reform teams to activate the implementation of these provisions of the ACJA in their state for the benefit of our people” Apata said.
Addressing participants, Apata, who doubles as Chairman of FJSRCC, stated that, with the support of development partners, the Justice Ministry has continued to drive the process of mobilization and sensitization of justice sector stakeholders to reform the justice system for effective and efficient justice service delivery and the promotion of the rule of law.
Since the establishment of State Reform Teams, Apata, disclosed that 29 States have constituted justice sector reform teams, urging States that are yet to establish theirs to do so without further delay.
In his address, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State,Dr. Kayode Fayemi, applauded the Federal Ministry of Justice and the FJSRCC on the effort to reform the justice system.
Represented by Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapouhunda said, “These meetings have provided a practical framework for the sharing of ideas and important developments in the administration of justice in Nigeria.
“lndeed in my view, the most important objective of this initiative is the sharing of information and expertise of the situation of justice sector reform in our states.
“For us in Ekiti State, the reform of the administration of justice system is not simply a theoretical concept or one that is all about law and justice.
“Government accepts that the socio-economic survival of our State depends on our ability to evolve a reform agenda that on one hand meets the expectations of our people for a sustainable improvement in the quality of their lives while at the same time promotes fair and equal access to justice for all” the Governor stated.
Ogundoro Modupe
Deputy Director
