Kano Assures It’ll Key Into Implementation Of Justice Reform
…Pledges 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.
Special Adviser to the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, Comrade Salihu Othman Isah revealed in a statement that the Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Ibrahim Mukhtar revealed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano.
He said Mukhtar who represented the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje at the National Sensitization Workshop on National Policy on Justice held for the thirteen states of the North West and North East zones of the country held in the ancient city of Kano State on Tuesday.
According to the AGF’s spokesman, the Kano state Commissioner of Justice also declared the workshop open on behalf of Gov. Ganduje, expressing satisfaction for hosting the workshop.
The opined that, without the policy, there would be no national development and justice sector, stressing that, “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”.
Ganduje further stated 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.
Delivering the welcome address on behalf of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata acknowledged the leadership and unflinching commitment of the Federal Ministry of Justice 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”.
Malami 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.
According to him, 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.
He showered encomium on the Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for his support in organizing the workshop. He thanked all stakeholders for their support in the collective efforts at reforming the justice sector and for attending the workshop.
Similarly, Professor Tawfiq Ladan, one of the facilitators at the sensitization workshop while answering questions from reporters, explained that the workshop is aimed at bringing together various 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 justice policy.
Ladan who is also a lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria added that the gathering is also to seek collaboration, cooperation and synergy with all justice sector institutions under one policy.
Also in attendance at the two-day workshop are participants comprising judges, States Attorneys General and Commissioners of Justice, Solicitors General and Permanent Secretaries, States Ministry of Justice, 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.
