The Governor Abdullahi Sule – led administration in regards to true development, has taken stringent steps towards enhancing the working condition of Judiciary staff. The first measure taken was to bring an end to the one year impasse between the immediate past Chief Judge (C. J), Rtd Justice Suleiman Umar Dikko and members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) , Nasarawa State Chapter by settling salaries withheld during the reign of the immediate past governor of the state, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
Engineer Abdullahi Sule did not relent in ending the rumpus between the state government and JUSUN by reinstating 20 staff dismissed by the former C.J in furtherance of his administration’s holistic approach to addressing the rift in the judiciary. Few months after taking over the mantle of leadership he had resolved some challenges facing the ministry of Justice headlong.
Onlookers attributed the breakthrough recorded in the judiciary to the appointment of a technocrat per excellence, the honourable commissioner of the Ministry of Judiciary, Associate Professor, Abdulkarim Kana, whose re-appointment was a clear indication of a purposeful legal luminary who brought in innovations as well as articulated policies and programmes to the state Ministry of Justice.
It is on record in the sands of time that the aggressive reforms chipped in by the Attorney General, Abdulkarim Kana in Nasarawa State, has brought the state to where it is today. Some of the legal advice lead to out of court settlement as well as served the state resources. He worked to end some of the legal tussles, to include ending the legal battle between the State Government and a concerned group of pensioners. A legal tussle that led to the intermittent garnishee proceedings of the state account.
The two musketeers also served the state from loosing huge amounts, with an attempt to revoke contract from the contractors handling the contract for the building of Aliyu Akwe Doma Banquet Hall. It was a project awarded by the late Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma, the Madaucin Doma. The plot to revoke and hand over the contract of the banquet hall to new contractors failed, this translated into the dualisation of Justice Avenue Road, the road leading to the Ministry of Justice, which was in appreciation by the construction firm, Canonic Shelters Construction Company (CSL) Limited.
The numerous achievements recorded under Governor Abdullahi Sule has neutralised the daunting challenges confronting the state ministry of Justice holistically. The ministry achieved these feat by injecting new laws as well as repealing the obsolete laws inherited from the defunct Plateau State. The governor also released three hundred and fifty million (N350,000,000 million) for the provision of furniture to the completion and commissioning of the High Court complex built by the immediate past governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and that was completed by Engineer Abdullahi Sule.
Other remarkable achievements in the ministry in the last three years was the approval for the employment of 14 lawyers as well as the purchase of vehicles for magistrates and Judges. The governor did not relent, instead he extended his hands of fellowship to the Justice sector by releasing funds for dressing allowance for judges which was not obtainable before the coming of the fourth democratically elected governor of the state.
Governor Abdullahi Sule’s commitment was aimed at repositioning the sector for effective and efficient service delivery, as well as ensuring access to justice for all and sundry. The Justice Ministry which was saddled with the responsibility of checkmating public institutions and sectors to avoid legal tussles arising from breach of contractual agreement, it’s worthy to mention, that inspite of the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic to reforms mechanism and operational system put in place by the administration of Engineer Abdullahi Sule are evident based.
The two musketeers, the executive governor and the attorney general, Abdulkarim Kana, has set the ball rolling with the team of notable legal luminary, to supervise the implementation of all the reforms and initiatives that are there for the broad-spectrum populace which is apparently has experienced no gaps, redundancy or system failure in the administration of justice. Courts in Nasarawa State now wear new looks. Courts in Karu, Keffi, Nasarawa and Akwanga area offices are not left out in the effort to ensure a conducive working atmosphere for it’s staff to operate. Some of the catalogue of the remarkable feats recorded are the construction and furnishing of two new courts in Gudi, Akwanga local governments and Toto local government respectively.
The incumbent administration succeeded in digitalising activities of the Ministry of Justice case management software, distribution of laptops to some lawyers , installation of V-sat for the ministry, the laboratory for the dispensation of justice as well as the payment of practicing fees, stamp and seal and the hosting of the meeting of the National Justice Sector Reform Committee under the chairmanship of the honourable attorney general of the federation.
Other scintillated feats include the training of law officers, judges, magistrates and law enforcement officers on the working of a new administration of criminal justice as well as organising an orientation and induction programme for the newly employed law officers in the state, and the renovation and expansion of the Ministry of Justice headquarters in Lafia and Keffi area offices as well as the establishment of new area offices in Akwanga and Nasarawa local government council for administrative purposes.
The Governor Abdullahi Sule-led administration approved the establishment of new office complex for the ministry of Justice zonal directorate located at the premises of Nasarawa Geographic Information System (NAGIS) in Mararaba, furnishing and provision of Information Communication Technology (ICT), provision of additional vehicles including two brand new Toyota buses, approval of N50 million for the purchase of official vehicles for magistrates as well the release of funds for the purchase of vehicles for High Court judges, and the establishment and conversion of some High Courts in Doma, Obi Nasarawa Eggon and Uke in Karu local government areas.
The state ministry of Justice in the year 2019-2020, succeeded in saving an estimated N15 billion for the state through diligent handling of state cases and sound legal advice, curtailing a potential loss for the state with two criminal convictions which were secured.
These are some of the contributions of the attorney general of the state. Other breakthroughs recorded are the settlement of major legal disputes through direct intervention of the state government, thereby saving the state billions of naira, in the area of security. Engineer Abdullahi Sule inaugurated the Nasarawa State Community Volunteers Guard, an initiative meant to address the breakdown of law and order and the establishment of the Criminal Law Reform Committee.
The monumental achievements of the two musketeers is the dualisation of Justice Avenue road leading to the ministry of Justice headquarters, courtesy Canonic Shelters Construction Company (CSL). The Implemention of the harmonisation law 2015 for judicial law officers and magistrates, the state High Courts, to address issues of promotions, lack of conversion of the state Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), recruitment of judges to reduce backlog of pending cases.
The commissioner of Justice has championed series of reforms like the justice for all persons and the observance of the rule of law and due process by all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s). Also, the introduction of monthly returns of awaiting trial cases rendered twenty eight (28) legal advice and dispatched within a week or two of the receipt of case diaries from the police.
The state government through the state Ministry of Justice facilitated the passage of about 39 bills of which 37 are executive bills, including executive orders and proclamations which have direct bearing on the lives of the people. They are
The Child Rights Act 2005, which was signed by the governor. The act was a law that forbids child labour, child trafficking, child army, child prostitution, modern slavery, street begging among others.
The governor also signed into law the anti kidnapping and raping law, with stifer penalties for perpetrators. Engineer Abdullahi Sule’s administration also passed the bill for the establishment of Nasarawa State Environmental law 2020, to regulate the activities of miners, loggers and related activities and the protection of the environment from degradation.
Other laws are Nasarawa State Public Procurement law 2020 to enhance prudency, transparency and accountability in government.
Other bills include:
A bill for a law to establish the Nasarawa State College of Nursing and Midwifery, Lafia and for other matters thereto ..
Executive bill.
Nasarawa State infrastructure maintenance and Haulage fee and for other matters connected thereto
Executive bill
A bill to establish the Nasarawa State Waste Management and Sanitation Authority (NASWAMSA)
Executive bill
A bill for a law to repeal and re-enact the Nasarawa State House of Assembly Financial Management law 2021 and for other related matters
(Private bill)
A bill for a law to establish the Nasarawa State Urban and Regional Planning Board and for other purposes connected therewith.
(Executive bill)
A bill for a law to repeal and re-enact the Nasarawa State Judiciary Financial Management law and other matters there connected therewith.
(Private bill)
A bill for a law to establish the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA).
Executive bill
A bill for a law to provide for levying and collection of Radio and Television license by Nasarawa State to regulate the administration of Radio and Television
Executive bill
A bill for a law to issue out the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state supplementary appropriation bill of the sum of N5, 975,076,812.86
Executive bill
A bill for a law to issue out Consolidated Revenue Fund of bill of the sum of N10, 849,954,879.49 billion naira for a period of 12 months commencing from 1st January, 2022 to December.
Executive bill
A bill for a law to establish the Nasarawa State motor Vehicle administration and traffic Management Agency
Executive bill
- A bill for a law to repeal and re-enact Nasarawa State Area Courts law and for other matters related thereto.
Private bill
A bill to establish Nasarawa State Customary Court law and for other matters related thereto
Private bill
Nasarawa State College of Nursing and Midwifery law 2021 to reform and modernise the estwhile school of Nursing and Midwifery
The reversal of Nasarawa State legal notice number 77 of 2017, proscription order prohibiting the activities of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary schools to bring peace and order to the labour unions.
Dalhati Araf Specialist Hospital law 2021 to reform and modernisation of the management system of DASH.
Nasarawa State Management law to overhaul the emergency management outfit.
Executive Order number 11, 2020 for the improvement of efficiency and effectiveness of Governance in the State Business Environment on Nasarawa State Governance Results and Efficiency Mechanism (N-GREM) to enhance efficiency and accountability in public service.
Nasarawa State drugs and supplies management law 2021 to create a profitable drug enterprise system for the state.
Nasarawa State Local Government audit law 2021 to establish and enhance the capacity of the office of the Auditor General of Local Governments.
Nasarawa State Government Executive Order prohibiting the engagement of private consultants to assess and collect personal income tax on behalf of the state as well as to engage private tax collectors in line with state tax laws.
Nasarawa State mortgage and foreclosure law 2020 to establish a mortgage investment system in the state.
Also many laws aimed at creating systems that would effectively and efficiently implement and deliver the reforms, are still pending at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly. Some of which are:
Nasarawa State Motor Park bill to regulate the opening of motor parks across the state.
Motorcycle and tricycle law to regulate the activities of motorcycles and tricycles.
Public utilities protection bill to overhaul the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO’s) in the state.
Nasarawa State penal code bill was for the reform of the criminal justice system.
Shariah court of appeal bill to reform and improve the powers and jurisdiction of the Shariah court of appeal.
Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Agency law 2020 to protect the capacity of the State PHCDA.
