* Hails FG On War Against Polio In Nigeria
By Janet Bassey (Governance Reporter)
President Buhari desires a judicial system that is truly independent, that is composed of noble, responsible Nigerians of the highest moral character, and one that serves the interest of no one but that of justice.
Making this assertion in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) called for the various stakeholders in the Justice sector to take the necessary steps to make the justice system work for the everyday Nigerian.
“There is the urgent need for dramatic reforms in the Justice sector, such that the average Nigerian can trust that whatever outcomes that flow from the decisions of our courts, are unbiased, apolitical and in the truest sense of it, the manifest dispensation of justice.
“What President Buhari seeks to bequeath to Nigerians, as a legacy in the Justice sector, is a justice system that works for the everyday man. One that fears and favours no one. The President cannot achieve this without having arm-in-arm partners in the judiciary and other stakeholders such as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), among others.
“The truth is that a majority of Nigerians do not trust the Justice system. The inability to predict outcomes from clear precedence makes the seeking of justice appear better done outside the courts, most time leading to self-help, and a break down of law and order.
“A trustworthy Justice system is critical for the peace and stability of the country. Nigerians must know that when a matter is brought to the courts it would fetch them true justice.”
The group also called on the stakeholders in the Justice sector to work out ways in which the dispensation of justice is fast and timely, against the current slow pace that getting a judgment from the court takes.
“Justice delayed is justice denied, says a legal maxim. Our justice system would earn the trust of Nigerians when they are assured that their matters would be speedily dealt with and that they would not have to wait years before they get justice.
“The Judiciary and those stakeholders of the entire Justice sector must come up with ways to ensure that the system delivers justice in good time.”
The Buhari Media Organization stated that the annual NBA Conference offers the participants, drawn from the entire Justice System, to brainstorm, debate and fine-tune ideas that would transform the Justice sector for the better.
It stated that these conferences should not just end as talk-shops but should translate to the much-desired reforms the Justice sector needs.
Meanwhile, the BMO has poured encomiums on President Muhammadu Buhari for successfully kicking polio out of Nigeria after taming Boko Haram in the northeastern part of the country.
The group noted in another statement by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, that the last communities to record wild polio cases in Nigeria were areas hardest hit by the Boko Haram insurgency.
"We want to put it on record that the President deserves all the accolades he is getting for ensuring that the country is certified polio-free after three years of zero cases of the childhood killer disease.
"We acknowledge that local and international support was instrumental in attaining the feat but ultimately the Buhari administration deserves plaudits especially as wild poliovirus' last stronghold was some of the remotest communities in Borno state where insurgents were still active.
"It is true that before President Buhari assumed office, Nigeria had not recorded a case of wild poliovirus since July 2014 and that was why he made a pledge on assuming office that he would ensure that the country meets the WHO criteria before it is certified as polio-free.
"So between the time Nigeria recorded its last cases in 2016 and now, the country was deemed not to have had a single case as a result of heightened immunization and surveillance activities due to the downgrading of insurgents in the affected area.
"We also need to stress here that the reason Pakistan and Afghanistan are still having polio is that Taliban militants have strongholds that are no-go areas for health workers", the statement added.
The group also noted that previous administrations played their part in conjunction with local and international partners but pointed out that there was never a time that Nigeria was certified as polio-free until now.
"For the avoidance of doubt, a country needs to have no polio case for three consecutive years before it is certified as polio-free by WHO, so this is the first time the country has attained that status since 2012 when it accounted for half of the global polio cases.
"Now that this feat has been achieved, we join the President in calling on the relevant government agencies to take all necessary steps to prevent the resurgence of this deadly disease.
"Again, we appreciate the strong partnership and collaboration the country enjoyed on the path to achieving a polio-free status".
BMO also reassured Nigerians that President Buhari will not relent in his effort to make the country a better place for all. NNL.
