The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has again called on Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation to work towards ensuring the full implementation of financial autonomy for their various state judiciary.
The AGF stated this on Tuesday in Abuja while delivering a speech at the Body of Attorneys-General Conference and meeting of the General Council of the Bar.
Fagbemi, who described the move as a mark of true and holistic commitment to the ideals of democracy and good governance, added that it is provided for under Section 121(3) and (4) of the Constitution
He said: “We should in this regard seek to robustly build the capacities of the judiciary, both in terms of personnel and infrastructure, particularly by investing in technologies that are necessary to automate vital aspects of our court operations and ultimately implement a digital justice delivery system.”
The AGF told the gathering that his ministry is making plans with relevant stakeholders to convene a National Summit on Justice, to among other things, engage all justice sector stakeholders to constructively look at how far the country has gone in the implementation of the 2017-2022 policy document.
“We will, in this regard seek to examine current challenges within justice sector institutions with the objective of supporting critical reforms, necessary to build a resilient justice system, facilitate adherence to the rule of law, respect for fundamental human rights and ultimately, build public confidence in the entire justice sector,” he said.
Stressing the need for close collaboration, Fagbemi reiterated the need for cooperation and mutual understanding of State AGs in the performance of their constitutional and statutory responsibilities.
Speaking earlier, the chairman House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Olumide Osoba, said it is the moral and constitutional duty of the Justice Minister and Commissioners of Justice to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their background or social status, have equal access to justice and urged them to bridge the divide and promote a more inclusive, equitable and just society.
Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal matters, Mohammed Mongunu, called for collaboration between the National Assembly and the Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation in ensuring that obsolete laws are updated, streamlined to address emerging issues in the revolving jurisprudence.
