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Sanwo-Olu Charges Judicial Officers Not To Slow Down Justice System
…Lagos Appoints Eight High Court Judges
Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reminded members of the judicial arm of government that it has a duty to keep the wheel of justice administration turning in this period of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to Governor, the judiciary must be fully acquainting themselves with the new culture of justice dispensation being driven by technology.
The Governor also appointed to new judges of the High Court of Lagos on Tuesday.
The eight judges took the oath before the Governor and members of the State’s cabinet at a swearing-in held in the Executive Council chamber in the State House, Alausa.
Sanwo-Olu said the continuity of judicial services in the period of public health emergency remained vital to boosting people’s confidence in the administration of justice system and to ensure adequate enforcement of regulations initiated to stop the spread of the pandemic.
He said: “This chamber we are holding the swearing-in has just been opened for the first time in the last two months. This is the reality of the global coronavirus pandemic, which has evolved new culture in our interactions at homes and offices.
“In this period of public health emergency, we need the judiciary to keep the wheel of the justice system moving. The administration of justice system must not be halted because of the health crisis. Our judicial should fully adapt to the evolving culture and be at the services of those who seek redress and justice at the court.
“I have no doubt that the Lagos State Judiciary, under the leadership of My Lord Justice Kazeem Alogba, will be an arm of Government that we can continue to rely on as a partner in boosting people’s confidence in Government and justice system.”
Sanwo-Olu said judges earned their nominations and appointments to the High Court of the State based on their sterling credentials and experience in the respective areas of engagement.
The Governor charged the judges to dispense justice without fear or favour, advising them not to soil their hard-earned reputation and family names in the course of discharging their duties.
He said: “Having gone through your resumes, I know you have all distinguished yourselves in the the legal profession and we expect you are bringing your years of experience and service. We are convinced this journey would raise the standards of our judicial service.
“I congratulate our newly sworn-in Honorable Justices and we believe you all have what it takes to be fair and equitable in dispensation of justice to our citizens. By being sworn in as judges, you have brought honour to your family names. However, you must ensure that your names are not tarnished in the course of discharging your duty.”
The Governor thanked National Judicial Council (NJC) for the painstaking vetting of the appointed judges’ credentials, noting that he was convinced that quality and calibre of the new judges would improve judicial process in the State.
The Governor used the occasion to re-emphasise his commitment to riding the State of the ravaging pandemic, giving assurance that the State Government would continue to collaborate with stakeholders on the frontline and coordinate response strategy to battle the virus. He also promised to maintain transparency in communicating the response activities to the public.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo(SAN), described the event as “special occasion” in the evolution of judiciary in the State. The quality of credentials of the appointed judges, the State’s chief law officer said, will be brought to bear in fast-tracking administration of justice system.
Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Ms. Titilayo Shitta-Bey, disclosed that the process of nomination of the judges was transparent and extended to different areas of legal profession, public service, private sector and the magistracy.
She said: “The transparency in the selection process of the new judges has deepened our trust in the leadership of Governor Sanwo-Olu. The appointment of these eight judges, having passed through the rigorous competence assessment and selection process, will strengthen the capacity of the Lagos Judiciary which in turn will translate to an improved service delivery in the justice sector.”
Hon. Justice Dorcas Olatokun, who spoke on behalf of the appointed judges, appreciated Governor Sanwo-Olu for finding them worthy of the appointment, which she described as a “unique privilege” to contribute their quota in deepening justice system.
She pledged to be upright and fearless in the discharge of the duty.
Other judges sworn in are Hon. Justice Yahqub Oshoala, Hon. Justice Omotola Oguntade, Hon. Justice Olufunke Sule-Amzat, Hon. Justice Rasul Olukolu, Hon. Justice Sharafa Olaitan, Hon. Justice Ezekiel Ashade and Hon. Justice Adeniyi Pokanu.
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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