By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu, has tasked judiciary to ensure that justice sector reforms will guarantee wellbeing of Nigerians, and economic growth of the country.
He said this while declaring open, a 2-day National Summit on Justice 2024, organized by the Federal Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association, and the National Judicial Council.
The President was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the summit holding at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja.
He said Justice sector leaders and professionals need to find the right responses to the challenges we face through policy innovation, citizen-centered reform, systems change, and legislative reform, where necessary.
Further in his speech, Tinubu insisted that the country needs judicial reforms that would enhance a functional justice delivery system that will aid a fast growing economy, guarantee basic human and political rights of individuals as well as provide security and justice to all Nigerians.
He tasked the judiciary to align its activities within the tenets of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly as they relate “to the priorities on inclusivity, fairness, rule of law, and anti-corruption stance, among other things”.
In accordance with his administration’s pledge to be impartial and adhere to constitutional principles, Tinubu said the National Justice Summit will avail institutions in the justice sector “with an opportunity to push boundaries by identifying needed system changes and critical reforms that would allow Nigerians to reap the benefits of huge investments in the sector.”
He said much is achievable when institutions of government, including the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, unite to acknowledge their challenges and brainstorm with a view to proffering solutions to the problems bedeviling Nigeria.
“I accordingly urge the leadership of all justice sector institutions to seek a new direction and focus on outcomes by creating a justice system that truly responds to the needs of our citizens – one that serves Nigerians now and for generations to come.
“I demand informed and coordinated responses to the identified challenges plaguing the effectiveness and efficiency of the sector.
“I demand performance so that Nigerians can feel and acknowledge the impact of your reform efforts.
“Ultimately, the expectations are that law and justice should aim to ensure public safety, economic development, peaceful co-existence, and the well-being of our people” Tinubu stated.
The Vice President said President Tinubu’s administration is determined to implement its policies and promises made to Nigerians for a renewed hope, through the instrumentality of the “law and the dictates of justice to create opportunities for our people”.
While highlighting the preliminary measures he took in order to reposition the Judiciary in an effort to aid a just and rules-based Nigeria, President Tinubu recollected his administration made funding for the Judiciary a top priority, doubling it in the Renewed Hope budget 2024 by more that 100 per cent from last year’s budget.
More so, Tinubu stated that in his administration efforts to reposition the Judiciary, the Supreme Court of Nigeria now has a full complement of 21 Justices as required by law for the first time after many years.
In addition, the President said he has made approval for a substantial increase in the salaries and emoluments of judges, which is currently undergoing legislative action.
However, inspite of these progresses being made in the justice sector, Tinubu said there “is an urgent need for a functional justice system capable of supporting a rapidly growing economy, guaranteeing basic human and political rights of individuals, and providing security and justice to all.”
In his welcome address, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, said the national summit seeks to address critical challenges in the justice sector.
The AGF hinted that the summit will address the significant challenges plaguing Nigeria’s justice sector and pave the way for the much-needed reforms that will make justice more accessible to all Nigerians.
One of the summit’s goals according to Fagbemi, is to review, validate, and adopt the revised National Policy on Justice 2024-2028 to drive prison reforms, access to justice for the average Nigerian, as well as the review of electoral laws and procedures in handling election related cases, among several other reforms.
The summit, the Justice Minister said, will deliberate on draft legislations proposed to address specific identified challenges within the justice sector, relating to the judicial appointments process, administration, funding and budgeting for the judiciary, the elimination of delays and inefficiencies in justice delivery and to evolve ways to reduce the amount of time for adjudication of cases, eliminate some of the associated technicalities, and reduce the number of cases getting to the Supreme Court.
