By Emma Okereh.
A two-day workshop geared towards equipping magistrates with the necessary tools with which to function effectively in carrying out their duties, took place in Abuja on Monday and Tuesday. In a welcome address by His Worship Musa Abdulrazaq Eneye, he explained that the programme was geared towards equipping Magistrates with the necessary tools to function efficiently in all ramifications. He called attention to major impediments to the magistrates in the discharge of their duties which he said, hamper the delivery of justice. The workshop themed “Attaining global best practices in the FCT Magistracy; challenges and solutions”, x-rayed other topical issues like the role of the magistracy in nation building: emerging challenges, impact of corruption on jurisprudential growth and development, the magistrate and the Nigerian constitution: Identifying constitutional bottlenecks that impede the justice delivery process in the FCT Magistracy. Others are welfare of the Magistrate-Impact on the Magistracy and Infrastructure, Equipment, Commitment to Continuous Training:Impact on the Administration of justice. His Worship tasked speakers at the event to proffer solution to the burning issues raised at the workshop. On the impact of corruption on jurisprudential growth and development, he posits that ”the absence of a properly reinforced Magistracy to cushion the effects of inflation, security challenges et al will often time than not creates an enabling environment for corruption. He extolled the commitment of the Chief Judge of the FCT, Hon Justice Hussaini Yusuf Baba towards advancing an effective and efficient delivery of administration of justice and rule of law particularly in the FCT. He noted that upon assumption of office, the Chief Judge immediately backed the training of Magistrates in the usage of ICT as was hosted by the Learned Silk Funmi Quadri, SAN. Participants at the workshop calked on government to review the salaries of magistrates. The workshop also sought to make magistrates judicial officers. The workshop was put together by the Magistrates Association of Nigeria-FCT (MAN-FCT) branch in collaboration with Fight Against Corruption in the Judiciary (FIACIJ)and Duty Solicitors Network (DSN). It was supported by EU sponsored British Council Rolac Programme, Juritrust Centre for Socio-Legal Research and Documentation and Justice Reform Project.
