Hits: 1598
The Ministry of Justice is the Chief Legal Adviser to the Government. It is essentially a service delivery institution. It is both a defender and projector of government’s legal interest as well as the public custodian of Justice.
The Ministry of Justice undertakes the duties of drafting bills, administration of criminal law and civil law polices, drafting of agreements involving government interests, protection and provision of human rights and the resolution through reconciliation, arbitrations and mediation. Thus, the overall goals of the Ministry is the attainment and sustenance of enduring peace and security in the State in order to create a conducive atmosphere so as to attract both economic investment and assured social well being of the citizenry.
It is inconceivable to imagine a society without Law and order. Thus, the Ministry is at the head of proceedings against criminal elements particularly amongst the youths.
From 1991, till date, the Ministry through its Department of Public Prosecution has received from the Nigeria Police over two thousand requests for legal advice out of which ninety-five percent have been rendered. This is so because the present government of Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan which came on board in May 2007 had built on the policy thrust of the previous government by reducing considerably the time such advice was rendered.
Conscious of the fact that a disaffected, disillusioned and deprived people are security risk in themselves and a threat to democracy, the previous administration in 2001 established the Department of People’s Rights. This was an innovation intended to provide a platform for Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Thus that arm of the Ministry provided a medium for the settlement of all forms of disputes through Mediation, Expert Determination (ED), Negotiation, Conciliation and Arbitration. The aim was to reduce the frustrations associated with technicalities, high cost and delay which had become the hallmark of our litigation process.
This programme also manages and perhaps prevents crisis and violence often associated with injusticeable disputes arising from perceived failures of companies located in the State, to host communities. Other interventions include resolution of disputes between employers and employees, mediating in cases of human rights violation in order to protect the under privileged persons. Since inception, the Department has received 840 complaints out of which 250 had been amicably resolved.