By Vivian Okejeme
Federal Capital Territory administration (FCTA) has inaugurated a committee to monitor the administration of Criminal Justice Act.
During the inauguration of the committee, the Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello, in his speech, said the committee would synchronise all stakeholders at a forum where common ideas and reform initiative would be initiated and implemented.
He said the vision to have an effective and efficient justice sector is indeed timeless and getting there would mean that we must develop a strategic and coordinated approach and a definite plan of action that would involve as many of the stakeholders as possible.
He said: “In doing this, we will not lose sight of the fact that all the institutions involved are independent and as such have their own individual mandate but as it’s stands, most of these agencies have functions that are interdependent not just in daily functions, but also the overall objective and shared interest which are all crucial to the administration of justice.
“The ACJ monitoring committee is a spring board for effective justice sector policy making, planning and operation; one that ultimately provides for a coherent and effective sectoral approach to the administration of criminal justice.”
Speaking further, Bello assured that in his bid to further fulfill his function under the Act, he would as soon as possible move to establish a Community Service Centre as provided in Sec. 461.
“This Centre ensures convicts engage in environmental sanitation, production of agricultural products, construction and any other services that will have a beneficial and reformative effect on the character of the convict.”
