|
Information
|
|
Written by Administrator
|
Communiqué
The World Justice Project (The Nigerian Group Initiative) organised a one day National Consultative Roundtable on the Rule of Law on the 2nd of June, 2008 at the Dennis Hotel, Wuse II, Abuja. Stakeholders were drawn from different spheres of the society – including religious groups, the organised private sector, media, civil society and professional organisations, representatives of the National Assembly, the Nigeria Bar Association and the banking sector.
The participants at the Forum agreed that the rule of law is the foundation for opportunity and equity in all communities. It gives traction to efforts to address society’s gravest ills, including poverty, corruption, sickness and ignorance.
The four basic indicators for assessing the rule of law in the country are:
1. The government and its officials and agents are accountable under the law.
2. The laws are clear, publicized, stable and fair, and protect fundamental rights, including the security of persons and property.
3. The process by which the laws are enacted, administered and enforced is accessible, fair and efficient.
4. The laws are upheld, and access to justice is provided by competent, independent and ethical law enforcement officials, attorneys or representatives and judges, who are of sufficient number, have adequate resources and reflect the make up of the communities they serve.
The participants also stated that there is a need to make a connection between the rule of law and the essentials of our daily lives – safety, jobs, health, education, various professional organisations and infrastructure. This means that in mainstreaming the rule of law into our daily lives, there is a need for a comprehensive multidisciplinary effort: especially in the following vocations, amongst others:
• Military, police and the fire services to make the communities safe;
• Businesses to sell goods and services, which create jobs and other economic opportunities for communities;
• Labour organisations to assert workers’ rights;
• Public health organisations to protect communities, especially the poor and low income earners from disease; and
• Educationists to enhance access to quality education for all children.
The Forum noted and applauded the Yar Adua administration’s declaration of commitment to the Rule of Law and urged its sustenance at all levels of government, although more in substance, rather than as a political slogan.
The Forum further noted that the Rule of Law is a prerequisite for good governance and for the fight against corruption.
That the National Assembly should endeavour to hasten the promulgation into Law of core Bills that would facilitate mainstreaming of the Rule of Law into all spheres of the society, and especially for the protection of the more vulnerable in our society; for example the Police Bill, the Prisons Bill, the Administration of Justice Bill and the Freedom of Information Bill.
Further to the above, the Forum makes the following recommendations:
1. Governments, at all levels, should show commitment to the Rule of Law by ensuring that all stakeholders are involved in the review of the Constitution.
2. The on going electoral reform should be comprehensive, should entrench the principles of the Rule of Law, and the report of the Committee should be implemented. Democracy can only be validated by credible elections.
3. There is a need to strengthen the following organisations by mainstreaming the ethical standards endemic in the Rule of Law: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police Force, Public Complaints Commission, Office of the Attorney General, National Judicial Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau, among others.
4. Justice sector reform should be prioritised by the government. This could be done by ensuring the strengthening of institutions in the Justice system by hastening the promulgation of the core Bills that are before the National Assembly, which would thereby impact positively on the observance of the Rule of Law by these institutions; for example the Police, the Judiciary, the Legislature and the Prisons.
5. A framework identifying specific criteria for measuring the performance and adherence to the Rule of Law by governments at all levels, all arms of government, the private sector, professional organisations, the civil society and the public at large should be developed and used as an instrument in advocating for positive change in the Nigerian space, and subsequently utilised in ranking the various jurisdictions and organisations on compliance with the Rule of Law. In this regard a body should be set up to assess performance on a regular and periodic basis.
6. The indices identified for mainstreaming the Rule of Law into all activity and spheres of governance should be publicised and diffused across all levels of government, the organised private sector, professional organisations, the civil society and the citizenry, as a whole.
7. The Rule of Law needs to be de-politicised and developed into practical, measurable outcomes by mainstreaming the identified criteria into the various spheres of governance and activity in Nigeria.
________________
His Eminence, Abubakar Sa’ad
Sultan of Sokoto
|
|
|
E- Books for Downloads
|
