Oyo To Ease Access To Justice For Indigent Persons

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has assured that his administration will ensure that it leaves a legacy that makes justice accessible to indigent persons in the state.

The governor who stated this at the 2022 Justice Day held at the Ministry of Justice Secretariat, Agodi-Ibadan, said it was imperative for governments to make the justice system less intimidating to the common man.

According to him, the Justice Day was not only significant to the Ministry of Justice but that it was important to the judiciary as a whole.

The governor, therefore, promised to continuously improve the welfare of judicial officers in the state, saying “We are trying to leave a legacy whereby the judicial system is less intimidating to the common man.

“So, you can tie the things happening here today to the common man having access to materials, which you would have to do a lot of research to get. So, things are getting simplified.

“I have always admired lawyers’ abilities to make solid and logical arguments. As an engineer, I get logic through data but you get logic through constitution.

“Well, most lawyers make solid and logical arguments and for us in this administration, we are lawyers as well because our decisions are based on data and logic. And based on logic, we figured out that one of the things we need to do is to reform the judicial system by giving them independence.

“We know that people are not happy going to court in our country and they think it is a waste of time. They try to seek another way of getting Justice.

“The House of Assembly has passed the Judicial Autonomy Bill into law and I signed it. So, indeed and in truth, our judiciary is the last hope of common men.

“Since last year when I signed the bill, the funding of the judiciary is now a first-line charge from the federal allocation. But I have seen complaints from them that the Oyo State civil servants get paid on the 25th, which does not apply to the judiciary. But I will say that this happens because FAAC comes late, which causes delay in the payment of the Judiciary.’’

Earlier, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, said that the Justice Day, 2022 was organised to showcase the contributions and impact of the ministry to the present administration in the state.

He applauded the ministries, agencies and security agencies that have worked with the ministry.