AGF Stresses the Need to Rejig Justice Sector Reform

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, has reiterated that reforming the justice sector is a critical component of the overall agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration to fight corruption.
Malami also explained that components of the current government is to develop the economy, promote respect for human rights; due process and build public confidence in the justice system.`
The Minister reaffirmed this in his opening address at the National Summit on Justice, 2017 with the theme:  Reforming the Justice System for National Development.
Represented by the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Taiwo Abidogun, Malami gave the assurance of the Buhari administration’s commitment to the noble ideas of justice and equally resolved to collaborate with the development partners in furtherance of mutual beneficial objectives.
“Given the challenges militating against an effective administration of justice and the peculiarity of our Federal system, there is need to harmonize and integrate the various justice sector reform initiatives into a clearly articulated policy that defines the philosophy of our justice system with respect to service delivery and provide a common direction for justice sector stakeholders across the country”, he said.
He further explained that the policy in broad terms is expected to set a common vision and provide the guidelines for promoting an effective and efficient administration of justice, guarantee the freedom of the people and propel the socio-economic development of the nation.
He stressed that, the need for National Policy on Justice arose due to absence of policy that addresses the imperative of building consensus among justice sector institutions and also practitioners, for the purpose of addressing collectively, the various challenges confronting the justice system that is fairer, more effective, accessible; efficient and responsive to the hopes and aspiration of the people.
On his part, Chairman, Technical Committee on the drafting of justice policy,  Muhammed Tabiu SAN, affirmed that varieties of justice institutions at the highest level across the country are represented at the summit, adding that the States, Federal and even the traditional justice handlers were present.
Tabiu stating further, said that the consolidation and participation are the foundation of implementation and that the document has a very clear implementation strategy.

He also stated that responsibilities are assigned to individual institution to the various level of government; buttressing that what is required to achieve this is also spelt out in the document.

Source: http://www.businessdayonline.com/agf-stresses-need-rejig-justice-sector-reform/