Justice sector reform overdue – AGF

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has reiterated that reforming the justice sector was a critical component of the overall agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to fi ght corruption. He reaffi rmed this in his opening address at the National Summit on Justice, 2017 with the theme: “Reforming the Justice System for National Development.” Represented by the SolicitorGeneral of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Taiwo Abidogun, Malami gave the assurance of the Buhari administration’s commitment to the noble ideas of justice and equally resolved to collaborate with the development partners in furtherance of mutual benefi cial objectives.

“Given the challenges militating against an eff ective administration of justice and the peculiarity of our federal system, there is need to harmonize and integrate the various justice sector reform initiatives into a clearly articulated policy that defi nes the philosophy of our justice system with respect to service delivery and provide a common direction for justice sector stakeholders across the country,” he said.

He explained that the policy in broad terms “is expected to set a common vision and provide the guidelines for promoting an eff ective and effi cient administration of justice guarantee the freedom of the people and propel the socioeconomic development of the nation.” Malami emphasised the need for the federal, states and other stakeholders in the justice sector to collaborate to drive the reform of the justice system for national development. On his part, Chairman, Technical Committee on the drafting of justice policy, Prof. Muhammed Tabiu, while also answering questions, affi rmed that varieties of justice institutions at the highest level across the country are represented at the summit.

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