Ahmed solicits support for justice sector reform

Salihu Othman Isah, special adviser, media and publicity to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice disclosed this to newsmen through a statement. He said that the governor made the call in his address at the opening ceremony of a two day National Sensitization Workshop on the National Policy on Justice organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice in collaboration with the Kwara State government, held in Ilorin, Kwara State for the North Central Zone of Nigeria, Tuesday. The AGF’s spokesman explained that while declaring the workshop open, the Gov. Ahmed represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Ishola Gold, said that, “the justice sector is counted upon as a forum where opinions and ideas about positive development, promotion and protection of human right, the rule of law, observance of good governance and administration of justice, are being aggregated and common front being canvassed”. The governor advised the forum to be partners in progress with the government in providing the enabling environment for the developmental needs of the society in justice related matter. According to him, the Kwara State government had been having useful synergy with various professional and non-professional bodies in the State, especially the justice sector team, surmising that, “government must run in accordance with the wishes of the people and this has been the hallmark of this administration since inception”. He assured that the well meaning gesture of the Federal government would be reciprocated by the forum by offering constructive support, advice or criticisms which would assist the government in meeting the yearnings of the people. In his welcome address, the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN explained that the National Sensitization Workshop holding in Ilorin is particularly significant in the sense that a National Policy on Justice with input from all stakeholders would be presented for consideration. Malami, represented by Ifunaya Nwajagwu, a Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Justice, said, “at the workshop, the policy will be critically examined through the various presentations to be made and your inputs harvested into an implementation strategy plan to be developed for the implementation of the policy”. He added that participants’ contributions would no doubt, enrich the plan and ensure smooth implementation when finalised. He thanked the Executive Governor of Kwara State for the support in organizing the workshop. Speaking, the Kwara State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kamaldeen Ajibade expressed that, “we are glad that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari has approved series of programmes and activities to enhance quick dispensation of justice in Nigeria and recently the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen also constituted Judiciary Monitoring Committees to enhance quick dispensation of justice in corruption related cases. He was optimistic that the success of the justice sector would go a long way in determining Nigeria’s place in the global world. He explained that the workshop would afford the Justice Sector the opportunity to look into certain issues of national importance with a view to contribute her quota towards making a better administration of justice in Nigeria. Participants at the workshop from the North Central Zone of Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue and Niger States, include Judges, Solicitors General and Permanent Secretaries, Commissioners of States Ministries of Justice, members of the Nigeria Bar Association, Civil Society organizations, Nigeria Prisons Service, Nigeria Police Force and Senior Officials from the Federal Ministry of Justice among others.]]>