The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) has explained why the Federal Government decided to review federal laws.
Fagbemi said the exercise is intended by the Fed Govt “to modernize, consolidate and harmonize Nigeria’s body of federal statutes.”
The AGF spoke in Abuja on Monday while declaring open the second retreat of the Committee on Review, Revision and Consolidation of Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN).
He noted that the general purpose of law is to regulate human behavior by protecting lives and properties in the society.
Fagbemi noted that the committee has recorded steady progress in its work, adding that the Federal Ministry of Justice has equally taken several measures to ensure that the assignment was delivered efficiently.
He said: “This second retreat is a strategic consolidation of our national law reform efforts and provides an invaluable opportunity to:
“Review progress made since the first phase;
*Address any technical or structural challenges encountered during the collation process;
*Harmonize the output across working groups; and
*Set the tone for the final stages of this important project.
“The next stage of the law review and consolidation process would include editing and proofreading the reviewed legislation, ahead of the final collation, production and printing of the laws of the federation.
“It is my conviction that these phases will be executed with even greater commitment by the Committee, with the support of stakeholders and development partners,” the AGF said.
The committee’s Chairman and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda (SAN) said his committee has so far reviewed 697 laws out of the mandated 737, assuring that, with just 40 outstanding to go, the committee will deliver in 2025.
Fapohunda said the recognition of the enormity and importance of the assignment spurred members of various skills and qualifications to be on the same page and work hard towards submission of the draft in 2025.
He explained that the approach adopted by the committee has been inclusive and consultative, including getting inputs from broad ways of stakeholders in order to deliver timely and meet the expectations of Nigerians.
Fapohunda said: “The committee’s mandate is to review 737 laws of the federation, but we have so far completed 697 with 40 more outstanding to go. Our approach has been inclusive and consultative with the intention to engage the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and other broadways of stakeholders. We are open and available for engagement, and we are on course to deliver timely and meet the expectations of Nigerians.”
The representative of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC), Toyin Badejogbon called for support for the review process, saying legislative development updates will enhance access to law.
Badejogbon said: “Our courts, research institutes, law reforms commission, citizens all need the law to engage meaningfully,”
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
