Ogun Plans Housing Estate for Retired Judges

The Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun says his administration was planning to design an estate for retired judges in the state.

He adds that a law to that effect would be worked on and forwarded to the State House of Assembly for consideration.

Abiodun stated this on Friday when he received the delegation of the Nigeria Bar Association led by its president, Olumide Akpata, in his office at Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.

According to the governor, the law would among other things, ensure that the judges and their offsprings continue to leave in the houses allocated to them even after their retirement.

Abiodun, while noting that the state would have the first right of refusal whenever those allocated houses are to be sold, added that judges in the State High Courts, Appellate Courts as well as the Appeal and the Supreme Court would benefit from the arrangement.

“We are doing everything to ensure that we give the judiciary as much support as possible. We particularly passed at the Executive Council a memo that sought to ensure that we provide accommodation for all our judges from the State High Court to all the Appellate Courts, Appeal Court and the Supreme Court.

“The provision is that we give them accommodation while they are sitting and we pay their rentals for their lifetime. And I said to myself what happens after they are gone? So, it means that their offspring are left without shelter or people who have dedicated their lives to doing what they know best and most of them, when they retire, that are not able to do anything else.

“Therefore, we decided to pass a law that stipulates that the Ogun state government will provide accommodation that they own, not just paying their rent, it becomes theirs. Of course, unless until when they want to now want to sell those houses,” he said.

He  commended the National Judicial Council for the role it played at ensuring that punitive measures were taken against judges that are fond of issuing counter injunctions and orders, adding  such steps would definitely make the administration of justice smoother.

Abiodun who also noted that the relationship between the executive arm of government and the judiciary is a good one, assured his administration would continue to give the judiciary all the support it needs to perform its duties.

While intimating the NBA leadership of his administration’s efforts at enhancing justice delivery, the governor said  case management system, duty solicitor scheme,

mobile forensic laboratory and the virtual court process had been put in place.

He added that the Ogun Public Interest Law Partnership which would ensure that everyone has a lawyer that can represent him or her in the court of law.

In his remarks, President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Olumide Akpata, disclosed that the body was meeting in the state to investigate issues bordering on conflicting court orders and the role played by lawyers and judges in the process.

He added that while the Nigeria Judicial Council has sanctioned those judges found culpable, the Nigeria Bar Association would also refer some of its members found wanting  to the disciplinary committee to determine if they should be sanctioned for abusing court process.

Akpata, however, noted that the Council supported all the steps taken regarding the invasion of the home of Justice Odili as well as the need to give all the needed support to the Chief Investigator in the case.

He commended Governor Abiodun for his pragmatic and proactive approach to governance.