By Abbas Bamalli
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), CLEEN Foundation, has advocated for an improved implemention of Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) in Nigeria.
The Acting Executive Director of the foundation, Mr Peter Maduama made this known at a two-day workshop organised for stakeholders in Katsina on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day advocacy workshop was organised for increased budgetary allocation, effective monitoring, oversight and implementation of ACJL in Nigeria.
According to Maduama, the workshop will look into the research findings on the compliance level of actors to the provisions of the ACJL in their eight project states.
The acting ED explained that, “We’re also going to take an overview of state capacity to facilitate the effective implementation of ACJL regime.
“Consider the justice gap and how to close them through state capacity in the area of good and adequate budgeting.
“The critical role of strategic advocacy and communication as a tool for policy formulation and change.
“For us in CLEEN foundation, it is important to note that all the deliberations in this workshop will lead to great improvement in the work we all have been doing in the advancement of the ACJAL across the nation and particularly in our states.”
The executive director added that the good news was that as at today, the ACJA has been enacted as laws across the 36 states of the federation.
He, however, said that it was not ‘Uhuru’ yet, because the beauty of any law or legislation lies in the effective and efficient implementation of its content by the agencies that have been saddled with that responsibility.
“As well as the perception and understanding of the citizenry as to what benefits are derivable thereof for a better society.
“To this, the ACJA/L has been set to achieve a society where peace and justice reign and no one is oppressed.
“It is also this kind of society that will deliver the development that we all desired,” Maduama said.
A cross section of participants at the workshop expressed hope that at the end of the exercise, its main objectives will be achieved, and assured total support to the foundation.
The participants were drawn from the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Correctional service, human right, judiciary, women affairs, CSOs among others.
NAN also reports that the two-day stakeholders’ workshop was funded by the MacArthur Foundation.