Abubakar Malami, SAN, Minister of
Justice
Abubakar Malami, SAN, Minister of
Justice
The Honourable Attorney General of Federation and Minister of
Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, has called on Senate to intervene on
the issue of Payment of Judgement Debt.
He called for this at the 2020 Budget Defence before the Senate
Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal matters, which took
place at the National Assembly, Abuja.
According to him, the Ministry has saddled to take inventory and
explore avenue for the payment of judgement debt and it was only in
2017 that the sum of 10 billion Naira was disbursed for the payment
as appropriated; meanwhile the sum of 150billion Naira remains
unpaid, causing the beneficiaries of the sum to keep mounting
pressures on the Ministry.
He therefore implored the Committee to intervene on the long
standing issue by appropriating the sum of 30billion Naira annually
to end the challenge and also to forestall possible friction,
accrued interests and unwarranted litigations arising from the
failure to effect payment.
The Attorney General also asked for the Committee approval 2.5%
as requisite commission arising from recovery of stolen assets.
According to him, the Assets Recovery Unit of the Ministry had done
so much and with evidence had deposited all recoveries so far into
the Federal Government Treasury. As a result of the legal
procedural requirements for the recoveries which most times require
the engagement of well-grounded lawyers and Consultants services to
recover the Assets, hence the soliciting for the 2.5% as requisite
commission arising from the recovery Assets.
Malami also notified the Senate Committee on the Ministry’s
proposing Executive Bill for the Establishment of
Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA)
Monitoring Commission /Agencies.
He explained that, “ACJA has since been in force, and the
Ministry now operates Administration of Criminal Justice Department
which have been empanelled by the ACJ Committee to work closely
with the Department.
He added that recently they realised that the mandate and
operational framework of the committee are tasking and wide
ranging, requiring enhanced funding that would facilitates the
operations. As a result of these they were of the view that the
Committee should be transform into A Commission or an Agency under
the Ministry.
“To drive our point home, the management of Ministry shall
convey to the National Assembly after endorsement by Federal
Executive Council, an Executive Bill for the establishment
of Criminal Justice Administration
Commission for your consideration and passage”. He
further explained.
Malami concluded by appealing to the Senate Committee to give
the Law noble profession the funding teeth to effectively
entrench the rule of law and maturing Democracy in line with
International best practices..
The Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Michael Opeyemi
Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central, in his remarks, said in line
with the constitution, President Muhammadu Buhari had laid the 2020
Budget before the Senate for consideration and passage and they
understand the importance of National Budget with the legislative
agenda and the committee would perform Legislative oversight over
the Ministry and its Parastatal.
He also said that the Committee is aware of the additional
responsibility placed on the Ministry with regards to the Freedom
of Information Act (FOI) which empowered
HAGF in section 29 sub section 1 of the Constitution.
Senator Bamidele also said that the Committee is concerned about
the Judgement Debt that Government failed to service as
expected. However, he promised that the Committee would try
its best to assist the Ministry.
Senator Chukwuka Utazi in his Observation said, he led his full
support for the Ministry on the 2.5% commission arising from
the Stolen Assets Recovery, he said it would enable the Ministry to
carry out their activity.
Other Senators presented at the Budget Defence were, Sen.
Chukwuka Utazi rep (Enugu North) and Senator Gabriel Suswam (Benue
North East), Senator Adamu Abdullahi (Nasarawa west).
Ogundoro Modupe
DD (Press & Public Relations)