Collaborations among stakeholders must be strengthened in order to improve access to justice for citizens – Centre for Transparency Advocacy

One of the Innovations to the Abia State Administration of Criminal Justice Law ACJL, 2017 Section 29 of the law is that there must be quarterly report of all arrests made by the Commissioner of Police and heads of every agency authorized by Law in Abia state to make arrest to the Attorney-General and the Attorney -General shall in turn establish an electronic and manual database of all records of Arrest in the State.

This was part of the highlights at a High Level Stakeholders’ Meeting on the reforms of the ACJL Abia 2017 organized by a Non-Governmental Organization Centre for Transparency Advocacy CTA held in Umuahia in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Abia State aimed at ensuring a more humane and right-centered approach to criminal justice administration in the state, speed up trial processes, protect society from crime and ultimately improve citizens’ trust in justice dispensation by relevant government institutions.

Speaking at the event funded by the European Union and supported by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ROLAC), the Executive Director of CTA, Faith Nwadishi noted that the task of CTA is to ensure that the reforms encapsulated in the ACJL 2017, were neither theoretical nor rhetorical but living principle that deliver timely justice and uphold rights to everyone who seeks justice hence the meeting of stakeholders to chart a way forward on the effective implementation of the law.

Some of the stakeholders present at the meeting one of which was a Superintendent of the Nigerian Correctional Centre Chukwunyeke Fredrick maintained that if there is enough collaboration between the parties along the justice dispensation chain, then justice administration in the state will be enhanced.

Responding to questions as to why Persons with Disabilities are not allowed with their wheelchairs and clutches into the correctional centers in Nigeria, Frederick said those walking aids could wrongly be used as weapons by inmates, this the stakeholders noted was an anomaly which should be addressed.

Also speaking, Assistant Commandant of Corps 2IC Nigerian, Security and Civil Defence Corps Okorie Emmanuel noted that criminals are dynamic in their approach which invariably demands that law should not be static but should regularly undergo periodic review.

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A foremost stakeholder, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Justice Chibuzor Ehiemere noted that collaboration must be strengthened in order to get the best out of the law.

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Family Love FM reports that the meeting had in attendance the Chief Judge of the state Justice Lilian Abai represented by Justice Agwu Umah Kalu, SA to Governor Alex Otti on Persons With Disabilities David Anyaele, State First Vice President National Council for Women Societies Abia State Branch Chinyere Frank-Ibe amongst others.