27 Years After, Niger Plans Law Reforms

The Niger state government is to reform its laws which have become obsolete following its last review 27 years ago.
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Niger State, Mr. Nasara Danmalam disclosed in Minna on Monday.
Danmalam who addressed a one-day workshop for senior and management staff of the Ministry of Justice with the theme “Public Sector Reforms-Strategies for Development”, said it was sad that Niger state now ranked 31 among the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory in the review of its laws.
The state Attorney General said because of the non-reform of the Justice system in the state adjudication of justice was now being delayed which had led to denial of justice.
His words: “We have to bring our justice system at par with those of other states in the federation. The state cannot continue to depend on and operate obsolete laws.”
As a result, the state and the Australian government have reached an agreement on the reform of the justice system, Danmalam said, adding that as part of the memorandum of understanding entered into, 15 directors in the ministry would soon embark on a trip to Australia for a five-week capacity building course on how to reform the justice system of the state.
Danmalam said the trip would be fully sponsored by the Australian government which had also pledged other assistance to the government to improve its legal system in order to bring it in tune with modern trend.
The Attorney General also disclosed that the state government had entered into discussions with the United States government Department Of Legal Services and the World Bank legal department on how to streamline the case processes in the state.
“Very soon the state will have a comprehensive document on its justice system,” he declared, insisting that like most other states in the country Niger would also have its own prosecution manual policy.
Mr Danmalam said the Ministry now has its own website which has made it possible for state counsel and private legal practitioners in Niger to have access to current legal decisions and developments.
He however said as laudable as the plans by the Ministry were for the reform and upgrading of its activities poor budgetary provisions were hindering the move, saying that the ministry would have to make more demands from the government for proper funding of its programmes
In an address, Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Nadi Wali, said the government had engaged some consultants to assist it in driving the reform agenda of the laws.
Describing the workshop as the “education sector of the ministry” Wali said the programme was aimed at assisting the ministry to meet its development targets.