Stakeholders at a workshop on the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in Benin City, Edo state capital, have advocated for increased budgeting and disbursement for effective implementation of the law.
The participants at the workshop also sued for collaboration and synergy among ACJA actors to enhance speedy and effective dispensation of justice.
The stakeholders included representatives from the judiciary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Correctional Centre and Civil Society among others.
The workshop was organised by CLEEN Foundation, with support from MacArthur Foundation.
Earlier, the Programme Advisor of CLEEN Foundation, Blessing Abiri, said the ACJL has been set to achieve a society where peace and Justice reign, and no one is oppressed.
Abiri stated that workshop would enable the stakeholders “X-ray its research findings on the compliance of the Criminal Justice Laws in our eight project States.”
She added that participants will take an overview of States capacity to facilitate the effective implementation of ACJL regime, consider the justice gap and how to close them through State capacity in the area of good and adequate budgeting.
According to her, “it also include the critical role of strategic advocacy and communication as a tool for policy formulation and change.
“And for us in CLEEN Foundation, it’s important that all the deliberations in this two-day workshop will lead to great improvement in the work we all have been doing in the advancement of ACJA/L across the nation and particularly in our states.
“The good news is that as at today, the ACJA has been enacted as laws across the 36 States of the federation.
“It’s not yet uhuru yet, because the beauty of any law or legislation lies in the effective and efficient implementation of its content by the agencies that have been saddled with that responsibility and understanding of the citizenry as to what benefits derivable thereof.”