The Ministry of Justice through the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has appealed to the House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to approve 2.5 per cent of recovered sums for the justice ministry. This, he said, should serve as a requisite commission from recoveries arising from stolen assets stashed abroad.
The statement was made available on Friday, 5th April, 2019 by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, to the AGF, Salihu Isah, who stated that Abubakar Malami had made this request during a budget defence on Thursday, 4th April, 2019 at the National Assembly.
The statement revealed that the ministry is requesting that 2.5% should be earmarked as a requisite commission from recoveries arising from stolen assets stashed abroad. Abubakar Malami stated that most of the time the ministry had used their lean resources to fund the recoveries without requisite commission. He therefore affirmed that all recoveries of stolen assets made by the ministry had been promptly deposited at the Federal Government Treasury.
Abubakar Malami presented the sum of N7.4 billion as the 2019 budget proposal for the ministry of justice. According to him, the budget would cover a broad spectrum of expenditure items ranging from personnel cost, overhead, legal services and capital for 2019.
Abubakar Malami informed the National Assembly that the ministry kept faith with all the expenditure items approved in the 2018 and promised to do even more in 2019 if the committee grants the request he is presenting before them.
In making his presentation he stated that the rule of law is the major pillar of the democratic enterprise as well as an economic enabler. He also added the quest for economic resurgence and industrialisation can only be spurred by unhindered administration of justice, equity and fair play.
He lamented that the challenge of bridging funding gaps keeps resonating in the operation of the ministry, a condition which he described as disturbing because the rule of law cannot be compromised in whatever guise because of funding inadequacy.
The minister explained that at the moment the country is finding it difficult to meet several of its international protocols, treaties and conventions which require funding. This trend he said needs to be reversed if Nigeria is to live up to its promises.
Abubakar Malami stated that in 2017, N10 billion was released for payment of judgement debts which was part of the approved budget, but the 2018 budget, no money was appropriated for judgement debts. He also added that judgement debts keep mounting and beneficiaries of these debts are getting agitated.
Also the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Dayo Apata, explained that the money mapped out for monitoring and evaluation would enable the ministry to carry out periodic checks in its nine zonal offices across the country. This, he said, is to ensure that the government’s policies are being effectively monitored.
One of the committee members, Ayorinde Olabode, responded to the issue of judgement debts by stating that it is a very important issue which must be taken seriously. He therefore advised Abubakar Malami to forward the complaints the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning and also added a specific amount to the justice ministry’s budget proposal as judgement debts.
Ayorinde Olabode added that, “The rule of law will not be complete if there is (a) judgment of court not to be (obeyed) by the ministry. What is the rule of law then? So if there is a judgment of (the) court and the ministry has no money to carry out the judgment, then the rule of law is not complete. So, I will think that if this budget before us is completed, the ministry should work with budget office and something specific should be provided in the budget, rather than asking the committee to take them from you. Otherwise, it will amount to budget padding and we will not like to be accused of padding budget again.”
Ayorinde Olabode also commended the ministry for generating over N32 million above other revenue generating agencies in the country.
Abubakar Malami was also advised by another lawmaker, Onyemaechi Mrakpor, representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta-State, to ensure that in drafting budget proposal, all sections of the proposal should be self-explanatory.
