How experts produced new justice policy

It was a gathering of major justice actors across the federation
in Abuja between August 8 and 10 for the first National Policy on
Justice, which agreed on key elements of a ‘draft National Policy
on Justice’.

The key stakeholders who gathered for the summit agreed to
harmonise and integrate the various reforms which have been
articulated into a National Justice Policy and promote its
acceptance. A major decision by participants was to
institutionalise the justice sector reform initiative by hosting an
annual conference to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the
new National Policy on Justice.

Setting the ball rolling, the Attorney General of the Federation
(AGF) and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said the
summit is one of the efforts being made to provide stakeholders
with opportunities and platforms to “strengthen collaboration,
coordination and consensus-builders among justice sector
institutions for effective service delivery, promoting the rule of
law and socio-economic development.”

He said it has provided the participants with “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.”

Malami, who was represented at the event by the Permanent
Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Taiwo Abidogun, harped on the
need for the remaining 12 out of 36 states of the federation yet to
constitute their justice reform teams in their respective states to
do so now that there would be greater collaboration.

In his address, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice
Walter Onnoghen, expressed support to the institutionalisation of
the justice sector reforms in the country.

Represented by Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court, the CJN
listed some of the challenges facing the country’s justice sector
to include delays, high cost of litigation and congestion of
cases.

In his keynote address read by Senator David Umaru, Senate
Committee Chairman on Justice, Legal and Human Rights, Senate
President Bukola Saraki, stressed that the institutionalisation of
the justice sector reforms will reflect the constant dynamics of
the society.

“It should not be treated like a one off project or talk show
but a workable template which must be adhered to,” he said.

Saraki recalled that the National Assembly gave effective
consideration to bills aimed at strengthening the justice system
and quicken the dispensation of justice in the on-going
constitutional amendment process.

Introducing the nature of reforms done with the draft policy
document, chairman of the Technical Drafting Committee of the
National Policy on Justice, Mohammed Tabi’u, said it was not just
aimed at achieving unity, consensus and joint action, but that the
document produced has addressed the needs of the ordinary people of
the country.

Goodwill messages were also received from the project partners,
the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) and the
European Union.

The major decisions agreed in the content of the draft policy
include strategic interventions in critical areas such as, for fair
and expeditious dispensation of justice, protection of human
rights, access to justice, correctional and restorative justice,
alternative dispute resolution, traditional justice system, legal
pluralism, independence of the judiciary, and  synergy and
cooperation across the justice sector.

Other areas which strategic interventions were suggested are:
openness, transparency and accountability, funding infrastructure
and facilities, legal and professional education, application of
information communication technology in the administration of
justice, justice sector and national security, legal and regulatory
framework for commerce and economic activities, supporting fair,
credible and violence-free electoral process, and compliance with
treaty obligation.

With the development and adoption of the new policy on the
justice sector, the shortcomings that have plagued the sector in
the country are expected to have been removed for improved vibrancy
and functionality that fairly and expeditiously meets the needs of
millions of justice-seeking Nigerians.

It was a gathering of major justice actors across the federation
in Abuja between August 8 and 10 for the first National Policy on
Justice, which agreed on key elements of a ‘draft National Policy
on Justice’.

The key stakeholders who gathered for the summit agreed to
harmonise and integrate the various reforms which have been
articulated into a National Justice Policy and promote its
acceptance. A major decision by participants was to
institutionalise the justice sector reform initiative by hosting an
annual conference to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the
new National Policy on Justice.

Setting the ball rolling, the Attorney General of the Federation
(AGF) and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said the
summit is one of the efforts being made to provide stakeholders
with opportunities and platforms to “strengthen collaboration,
coordination and consensus-builders among justice sector
institutions for effective service delivery, promoting the rule of
law and socio-economic development.”

He said it has provided the participants with “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.”

Malami, who was represented at the event by the Permanent
Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Taiwo Abidogun, harped on the
need for the remaining 12 out of 36 states of the federation yet to
constitute their justice reform teams in their respective states to
do so now that there would be greater collaboration.

In his address, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice
Walter Onnoghen, expressed support to the institutionalisation of
the justice sector reforms in the country.

Represented by Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court, the CJN
listed some of the challenges facing the country’s justice sector
to include delays, high cost of litigation and congestion of
cases.

In his keynote address read by Senator David Umaru, Senate
Committee Chairman on Justice, Legal and Human Rights, Senate
President Bukola Saraki, stressed that the institutionalisation of
the justice sector reforms will reflect the constant dynamics of
the society.

“It should not be treated like a one off project or talk show
but a workable template which must be adhered to,” he said.

Saraki recalled that the National Assembly gave effective
consideration to bills aimed at strengthening the justice system
and quicken the dispensation of justice in the on-going
constitutional amendment process.

Introducing the nature of reforms done with the draft policy
document, chairman of the Technical Drafting Committee of the
National Policy on Justice, Mohammed Tabi’u, said it was not just
aimed at achieving unity, consensus and joint action, but that the
document produced has addressed the needs of the ordinary people of
the country.

Goodwill messages were also received from the project partners,
the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) and the
European Union.

The major decisions agreed in the content of the draft policy
include strategic interventions in critical areas such as, for fair
and expeditious dispensation of justice, protection of human
rights, access to justice, correctional and restorative justice,
alternative dispute resolution, traditional justice system, legal
pluralism, independence of the judiciary, and  synergy and
cooperation across the justice sector.

Other areas which strategic interventions were suggested are:
openness, transparency and accountability, funding infrastructure
and facilities, legal and professional education, application of
information communication technology in the administration of
justice, justice sector and national security, legal and regulatory
framework for commerce and economic activities, supporting fair,
credible and violence-free electoral process, and compliance with
treaty obligation.

With the development and adoption of the new policy on the
justice sector, the shortcomings that have plagued the sector in
the country are expected to have been removed for improved vibrancy
and functionality that fairly and expeditiously meets the needs of
millions of justice-seeking Nigerians.