Ogun moves to ensure Speedy Justice Dispensation next year

The Ogun State Ministry of Justice will construct Zonal Offices for Citizens’ Rights Department in Sagamu and Ota, while a Rehabilitation and Correctional Administration of Criminal Justice Monitor Centre, would be cited in Abeokuta, come 2019.

The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Olumide Ayeni disclosed this in Abeokuta, at the on-going budget defence before members of the State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation, led by Hon. Victor Fasanya, explaining that the Ministry was poised towards making administration of justice in the State a reference point in the country.

Ayeni said the Ministry in the next fiscal year, planned to spend N1.18bn, just as it is set to reprint the revised laws of the State, to enhance public accessibility to justice with minimal cost, while strengthening and improving on available legal and judicial infrastructure.

Giving the breakdown of the budget, the Commissioner said N530m was earmarked for recurrent expenditure and N650m for capital projects, with a revenue target of N65m.

In another development, the State Government said efforts were in top gear to appoint five new High Court Judges for the State High and Magistrate Courts, to aid the dispensation of justice in the State.

The Registrar of the State Judiciary, Mrs Funmilayo Stanley said this while taking her turn to defend the 2019 budget proposal of the State Judiciary before members of the State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation in Abeokuta.

She noted that the present administration recognized the critical role the judiciary played in justice administration in the State, hence the recent innovations in the sector to enhance quick and effective dispensation of justice through the various levels of courts in the State.

Stanley noted that the judiciary remained committed to ensuring easy access to justice by the populace through disposition of at least 85 percent of cases filed, adding that construction, renovation of court rooms, chambers and residential quarters in the 10 judicial divisions, would be carried out in the next fiscal year.

To achieve the above, a total budget size of N3.55bn was proposed with N1.850bn set aside for capital projects, N1.7bn for recurrent expenditure and N250m as expected revenue for the period.