The forthcoming National Justice Reform Summit will deliberate on draft legislations proposed to address challenges within the justice sector.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), announced this at a news briefing on Thursday.
He said President Bola Tinubu was scheduled to declare open the summit to address the challenges plaguing Nigeria’s justice sector on April 24.
He said the summit would be conducted in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the National Judicial Council (NJC) and would be held at the auditorium of the National Judicial Institute in Abuja on April 24 and 25.
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He explained that the summit, with the theme, “Repositioning the Justice System: Constitutional, Statutory and Operational Reforms for Access and Efficiency”, presented a unique opportunity to collectively tackle the pressing issues hindering the efficient, fair and people-centred delivery of justice in our nation.
He said, “The Joint Planning Committee established by the Federal Ministry of Justice and the NBA, headed by the Chairman of the NBA Judiciary Committee, Dr Babatunde Ajibade (SAN), has assembled a remarkable group of speakers and panelists to share their invaluable knowledge and expertise and proffer constructive solutions for making the justice system more efficient and accessible to all Nigerians.
“Notably, the summit will feature a keynote address by Dr Willy Mutunga, a renowned legal scholar, jurist and former Chief Justice of Kenya, celebrated for his commitment to democratic principles and human rights, and for the transformative judicial reform that took place in Kenya under his watch.
“One of the summit’s goals is to review, validate and adopt the revised National Policy on Justice 2024-2028 to drive prison reforms, access to justice for the average Nigerian, as well as the review of electoral laws and procedures in handling election related cases, among several other reforms.”
He noted that the summit would produce a comprehensive policy document outlining a broad framework and initiatives in 17 thematic areas aimed at reforming the justice sector to enhance its effectiveness and accessibility to all Nigerians, ensuring that justice was not just a privilege for the few, but a right for all.
Fagbemi further said, “This crucial event seeks to address the significant challenges plaguing Nigeria’s justice sector and pave the way for much-needed reforms that will make justice more accessible to all Nigerians.
“The policy aims to address various challenges within the legal framework, seeking to promote social cohesion, bolster economic development, and foster good governance.
“Furthermore, the summit will deliberate on draft legislations proposed to address specific identified challenges within the justice sector, relating to the judicial appointments process, administration, funding and budgeting for the judiciary, the elimination of delays and inefficiencies in justice delivery and to evolve ways to reduce the amount of time for adjudication of cases, eliminate some of the associated technicalities, and reduce the number of cases getting to the Supreme Court.
“In this regard, we intend to look at a situation where many cases will terminate at the court of appeal to reduce the burden on our noble justices of the Supreme Court.
“These proposed laws are expected to serve as a catalyst for collective action and provide a guiding framework for relevant governmental institutions at both the national and sub national levels to establish an effective, efficient, and people-centered justice system. We cannot afford to remain complacent in the face of the obstacles impeding the efficient delivery of justice for all Nigerians.”
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