NEWS
SANWO-OLU PROMISES TO TRANSFORM LAGOS JUDICIAL SECTOR
As part of his administration’s commitment to reform the judicial sector, 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 also promised a total transformation of court rooms, buildings and other facilities for speedy dispensation of justice, saying judicial officials, such as judges, lawyers and other workers in the judiciary would operate in an ambience suitable for the job they do.
Speaking on Saturday during an inspection to Lagos High Court, Igbosere and Ikeja High Court, GRA, Ikeja, Governor Sanwo-Olu 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.
The Governor said the Lagos State 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.
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.
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The Lagos State Government has not increased the minimum wage, contrary to the impression in some media reports, which emanated from the unveiling of Eko Cares – the umbrella for the various interventions to protect the poor against the effects of the prevailing economic hardship. The event was held at the Governor’s Office in Ikeja on Wednesday.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been erroneously quoted as saying that a new minimum wage of N70,000 had been announced. This is wrong. Mr. Governor never said so. He said since January, civil servants had been earning the N35,000 wage award directed by the Federal Government. In other words, those earning N35,000 now earn N70,000. He did not announce a new minimum wage of N70,000.
His words: “I know that by the grace of God very very soon we’ll see a new minimum wage that will be approved for the Federal Government and for the state government. The civil servants and all public officers, they know that since January we have continued to pay the wage allowance of minimum of N35,000 over and above what they were earning before.
“People that were earning a minimum of N35,000 to N40,000 before, they are now earning over N70,000. So, it’s important for people to know and for us to lay this thing very clearly. This government has doubled up and has not left its citizens on their own…”.
The EFCC Chairman said made a direct phone call to the former governor out of respect, urging him to appear before the commission and address the charges. Unfortunately, the former governor declined the invitation.
Governor Yahaya Bello has alleged to summoned the EFCC to make an appearance in his village.
The Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, stated that the ex-governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, removed $720,000 from the state’s official account and transferred it to a Bureau de Change agent in order to prepay his child’s school tuition fees.
Olukoyede highlighted the importance of Nigerians supporting the EFCC for its success, emphasizing that the agency’s failure would reflect negatively on Nigeria. He pointed out that the ongoing efforts have positively impacted the value of the Naira and the foreign market.
Plea Bargain of $21Billion USD Refund from a former Presidential Aide to EFCC, Minister on the Cards
Close allies of former President Muhammadu Buhari who served in his administration as ministers, and aides have come under the radar of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over alleged multi-billion naira fraud allegations.
The EFCC, Saturday Sun has gathered, is zeroing in on key ones who have been on the anti-graft agency’s watch list for multiple allegations.
Some of the top ministers including a former finance Minister under the EFCC radar, are believed to have fled the country to evade arrest and possible prosecution by the EFCC.
According to top EFCC sources, former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, Zainab Ahmed and their counterpart, who served as minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, are among top former ministers being trailed by the EFCC.
The two ministers were among the most powerful during Buhari’s reign and were named in many multi-billion naira cases while they were in office.
Reports say there is a plea Bargain for Tunde Sabiu and Malami and Zainab Ahmed may refund over N21 Billion to EFCC
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