The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised to change the face of court rooms and court premises across the state, saying judicial proceedings would no longer take place in an unconducive environment.
The Governor made the promise on Saturday during an inspection of Lagos High Court, Igbosere and Ikeja High Court, GRA, Ikeja.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said government would set up a joint committee between the judiciary and the executive to work toward putting in place a rebranded and renewed physical infrastructure in the judiciary in the months and years ahead.
While reiterating his administration’s commitment to judicial sector reforms, Sanwo-Olu promised a total transformation of the court rooms, buildings and other facilities for speedy dispensation of justice.
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He said as his administration continues to deliver dividends of democracy to the people of Lagos State, it will ensure that the judicial arm is not left to suffer.
He said: “The whole objective of the exercise (inspection to the courts) is for all us to continue our collaboration between the executive and the judiciary, understanding fully well that we are all set up to serve our citizens. And the only way we can serve is to ensure that all of us have the right ambience and have the right environment for that service to continue to happen.
“Lagos State judiciary is reputed as the foremost judicial service in the country not only with the number of judges that we have but the caliber of our judges. Beyond that is also to look at both the physical infrastructure and welfare of our judges.
“As a government we felt beyond just sitting down and talking about separation of powers, we see ourselves as partners in the same delivery of service to our citizens either in the judiciary, executive or the legislature.”
Speaking further on his administration’s commitment to judicial reform in Lagos State, Governor Sanwo-Olu said: “We need to improve on their (judges) current state and make them a lot better so that our judges can sit back and dispense off their services under an ambience that is fit for purpose.
“We have seen things by ourselves and we are setting up a joint committee between the judiciary and executive and they would start work almost immediately. But we need to work around the logistics of how all of these will happen because there will be a bit of displacement and inconveniences. So, we want to plead ahead, when both plaintiffs and complainants come around the court premises, they need to understand that we are about to scale up our physical infrastructure in most of our courts.”
We will also be seeing a rebranded, renewed physical infrastructure in the judiciary in the week, month and years ahead.”
Stressing the importance of his visits to the courts, Governor Sanwo-Olu said: “What we have done in the past three hours is to see for ourselves what is the state of physical infrastructure of our various courts and I must say that indeed, we can do better.
“Coming out of this inspection is to see how we can work collaboratively with the Lagos State judiciary service led by the Chief Judge and see how we can set up the means in which we will begin extensive renovation of some of our court rooms, the infrastructure around the court premises, both at the high and magistrate courts.”
The Governor was accompanied on the visit by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Secretary to the Government of Lagos State, Mrs. Folashade Jaji; Chief Justice of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba; Head of Service, Mr.Hakeem Muri-Okunola and Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the State, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), among other government and judicial officers in the State.
