Governor Monday Okpebholo’s 100 Days In Office: A Boost For The Justice Sector
Rt.Hon Samson R Osagie,PhD
As the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo clocks 100 days in office, the Justice sector has received tremendous boost in a way that was never seen in recent history of the State.
Upon assumption of office, the Governor who assured Edo people of his administration’s commitment to justice for all and adherence to the rule of law promptly appointed the State Attorney General And Commissioner For Justice to hit the ground running in addressing the myriad of injustices meted out to Edo people, the traditional institutions and the educational sector particularly tertiary institutions.
The security sector, the judiciary, Land Administration, were also not left out as the Okpebholo administration directed the state ministry of Justice to propose certain Legislations which the State Assembly expedited action in passing into laws. Among them are:
1. The Secret Cult (Prohibition) Amendment Law 2024 which has imposed more stringent punishment for secret cult related activities.
2. A Law to increase the retirement age for Magistrates, Presidents of Customary Courts and Registrars in the Edo State Judiciary,l.
3. A Law to Amend the Edo State Land Administration Law
4. The Edo State Supplementary Appropriations Law
5. The Law Expanding the membership of the Edo State Oil And Gas Development Commission , etc.
Within the last 100 days the Justice Ministry has began collaborative discussions with ROLAC, Prison Fellowship of Nigeria, the Edo State Property development corporation, National Technology Incubation Centre and a host of other government agencies, with a view to facilitating restorative Justice administration and providing the needed legal services. This has been made possible by the disposition of the Governor who cherishes inter agency collaboration in governance.
For the traditional institutions, the Okpebholo’s administration in absolute recognition of the prime position of His Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin in the traditional hierarchy in Edo State, restored the statutory rights of the Benin Traditional Council and abolished the new traditional Councils in Edo south created by the last administration by executing the necessary revocation Executive Orders.
Governor Monday Okpebholo within the last 100 days in office did not only empanel a committee to seek for the amicable resolution of disputes arising from the forceful and unjustified acquisition of private and corporate properties by the immediate past administration, the people’s Governor has directed the Honourable Attorney General of the State to assist those with genuine titles whose matters are pending before courts to negotiate for settlement that protects their constitutional rights to own property without official acts of oppression by the government who ought to protect such rights.
In keeping with the cardinal policy of a staff welfare and productivity in the Edo State Civil Service, the Ministry of Justice under Okpebholo’s administration did not only embarked on the restructuring of the various departments of the ministry, entitlements of State Counsel who attended the 2024 Nigeria Bar Association Annual General Conference were promptly paid, a move that has received the loud applause of beneficiaries and non beneficiaries alike
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Also the need to re-establish Commissions and Agencies established by law but were merged with departments in the Ministry has received the imprimatur of the administration, a move aimed at complying with laws validly made by the State Legislature. Examples of such Commission and agency are the Law Reforms Commission, Citizen Rights Mediation Agency ,etc.
On the whole the Okpebholo administration has impacted positively in the justice sector with a huge potential for improvement in the overall regime of efficient and effective service delivery in the sector and other allied services.
More importantly, the Okpebholo administration has prioritize accountable and transparent service delivery and this accounts for his action in querying the actions or commissions of public officers appointed by him subject to their right to be presumed innocent until their guilt is proven in given circumstances.
Edo State is therefore particularly lucky at this material time in history to have a committed and dedicated leader who prioritizes his commitment to delivering the dividends of good governance to the greatest number of its citizens.
For us in the Justice sector, it is certainly a regime of inspiration and better conditions of services.
We congratulate Governor Monday Okpebholo on his impactful 100 days in office.
Rt Hon Samson R Osagie,PhD is the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner For Justice Edo State
3rd February,2025
