The Executive Director of the Centre for Transparency and Advocacy (CTA), Engr. Faith Nwadishi, has called on citizens to educate themselves on the provisions of the Abia State Administration of Criminal Justice Law of 2017.
Engr. Nwadichi who made this statement on Thursday during the flag-off ceremony of a three-day capacity-building workshop in Umuahia, emphasized the importance of understanding the law to ensure access to justice and hold its implementers accountable, as well as to identify areas that may require reform.
The program, titled “Strengthening the Rule of Law Through Effective Implementation of the State Administration of Criminal Justice 2017”, was organized by the Centre for Transparency and Advocacy in collaboration with the Abia State Ministry of Justice, with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) program and the European Union.
Speaking at the event targeted at members of security agencies, correctional services, the judiciary, and other stakeholders, Engr. Nwadichi stressed the importance of understanding the content of the law to ensure its effective implementation and protect citizens’ rights.
“If there is need for us to call for a reform of that law, we can call for a reform of that law, but you cannot call for a reform of that law without knowing what is already contained in the law and holding those who are supposed to implement that law accountable for what is already there,” she stated.
She added, “The essence of this is citizens getting to know what is already in the law, the security agents themselves knowing the rights of citizens and how they can use the law to ensure that people have access to justice in the state.”
The Program/Communication Officer of the Centre for Transparency and Advocacy, Mr. MacDonald Ekemezie, while speaking at the event highlighted the workshop’s goal of enlightening citizens and addressing key issues in the criminal justice system, such as improper extraction of confessions, detainee mistreatment, delayed justice, poor inmate conditions, unauthorized detentions, and the unsanitary state of correctional facilities.
“At the end, we want an increased access to justice, reduced rights violation, and the rebuilding of public confidence in the rule of law. That’s what we ultimately need to achieve. Well, the only way we can sustain this is by having everyone as stakeholders, seeing that this is for all of us,” Ekemezie stated.
NewsNGR reports that the program featured lectures delivered by resource persons, including Barr. Chiemezie Uluoha and Mr. Njoku Udoka, focusing on citizens’ rights and the application of the law. Discussions also centered on strategies for decongesting correctional facilities in Abia State.