We need fairer, accessible, responsive justice system – AGF

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,
Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, yesterday, maintained that the country
needed a justice system that was fairer, more effective,
accessible, efficient and responsive to the hope and aspiration of
the people.

Malami, who stated this at the opening session of the National
Summit on Justice, in Abuja, stressed that reform of the justice
sector was critical to the overall agenda of President Muhammadu
Buhari administration’s eagerness to fight corruption, develop the
economy and promote respect for human rights and due process.

He called on states yet to constitute justice sector team to do
so without delay, saying the ongoing national summit on justice
would mark “a watershed in our efforts at providing opportunities
and platforms to strengthen collaboration, coordination and
consensus-builders among justice sector institutions for effective
service delivery, and promoting the rule of law and socio-economic
development”.

The AGF said: “In a federation and constitutional democracy such
as ours, the need for the federal, states and other stakeholders in
the justice system to collaborate to drive the reform of our
justice system for national development cannot be
over-emphasised.

“This summit therefore underscores the determination of the
Federal Ministry of Justice under our leadership to continue to
mobilize justice sector institutions to put in place structures and
policies to address the various challenges militating against the
justice system in the country.

“In the next two days preceding the summit, participants are
expected to consider the draft National Policy on Justice, which
was developed by a Technical Committee constituted by the Federal
Ministry of Justice, make inputs that will enrich its content, and
promote its national acceptance and implementation.

In his welcome address, Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr.
Taiwo Abidogun, said it was regrettable that institutions within
the justice sector hitherto operated in isolation and played “the
blame game instead of coming together to address challenges
confronting the justice system in the country.”

“We are therefore delighted that today marks a paradigm shift as
we come together to put in place a policy that sets out agreed
principles and guidelines for effective and efficient service
delivery. The policy provides the framework for resolving cross
institutional problems, developing and managing an all inclusive
reforms, as well as coordinate the implementation of reforms.

“The policy provides a blueprint which outlines the various
reforms desirable in the justice sector to engender smooth, fair,
just and transparent administration of justice in the country.”

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,
Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, yesterday, maintained that the country
needed a justice system that was fairer, more effective,
accessible, efficient and responsive to the hope and aspiration of
the people.

Malami, who stated this at the opening session of the National
Summit on Justice, in Abuja, stressed that reform of the justice
sector was critical to the overall agenda of President Muhammadu
Buhari administration’s eagerness to fight corruption, develop the
economy and promote respect for human rights and due process.

He called on states yet to constitute justice sector team to do
so without delay, saying the ongoing national summit on justice
would mark “a watershed in our efforts at providing opportunities
and platforms to strengthen collaboration, coordination and
consensus-builders among justice sector institutions for effective
service delivery, and promoting the rule of law and socio-economic
development”.

The AGF said: “In a federation and constitutional democracy such
as ours, the need for the federal, states and other stakeholders in
the justice system to collaborate to drive the reform of our
justice system for national development cannot be
over-emphasised.

“This summit therefore underscores the determination of the
Federal Ministry of Justice under our leadership to continue to
mobilize justice sector institutions to put in place structures and
policies to address the various challenges militating against the
justice system in the country.

“In the next two days preceding the summit, participants are
expected to consider the draft National Policy on Justice, which
was developed by a Technical Committee constituted by the Federal
Ministry of Justice, make inputs that will enrich its content, and
promote its national acceptance and implementation.

In his welcome address, Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr.
Taiwo Abidogun, said it was regrettable that institutions within
the justice sector hitherto operated in isolation and played “the
blame game instead of coming together to address challenges
confronting the justice system in the country.”

“We are therefore delighted that today marks a paradigm shift as
we come together to put in place a policy that sets out agreed
principles and guidelines for effective and efficient service
delivery. The policy provides the framework for resolving cross
institutional problems, developing and managing an all inclusive
reforms, as well as coordinate the implementation of reforms.

“The policy provides a blueprint which outlines the various
reforms desirable in the justice sector to engender smooth, fair,
just and transparent administration of justice in the country.”