The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), rising from it’s 63rd Annual General Conference (AGC) has asked the Federal and state governments to invest in the security, economy as well as the justice sector of the country.
The President of the association, Mr Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, said this on Saturday in Abuja while reading the communique drafted by the association at the end of its conference to newsmen.
Maikyau said that the 2023 AGC focused on three thematic areas which were; economy, administration of justice and security.
He said that the resolve to task governments on security, justice reform and the economy was borne out of the NBA’s concern over continuous acts of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other forms of insecurity in the country.
The president said that there was need for synergy between all security agencies to address the security challenges in the country.
This, he said, was with the aim of evolving practical strategies to address the nation’s security, justice reform and economic concerns.
According to him, the conference observes that the country’s abundant natural resources are not properly harnessed for economic development.
“The country needs long-term economic decisions to sustain the economy.
“The federal and state governments need to improve the security situation, youth employment and funding of youths toward acquiring knowledge on artificial intelligence.
“Conference urged citizens to actively contribute to combating insecurity by being vigilant and speaking up.
“It called upon the legal community to explore ways of enhancing Nigeria’s access to finance to support the fight against insecurity.
“Conference identified the need for greater investment in the military including providing support for civil-military coordination framework as well as a comprehensive endowment framework for critical military facilities and equipment.
“Overall, the conference underscored the need for comprehensive, multi-faceted efforts to address the nation’s challenges,”he said.
He said that the conference noted that there were challenges in providing the desired justice administration in the country, adding that it frowned at the deliberate disobedience to court orders and other judicial processes.
The association reiterated its call for an urgent review of the remuneration and conditions of service of judicial officers.
It also implored the federal and state governments to contribute to the funding of pro bono services to close the gap for access to Justice.
The NBA also resolved that the legal profession as a whole must remain unwavering in the pursuit of justice and effective governance.
”As the voice of the people, the legal community holds the responsibility of ensuring equitable treatment for all, irrespective of their status.”
The association further agreed that its influence must extend beyond the courtroom.
”It must actively contribute to economic growth and stability by advocating for policy adherence to the rule of law in policymaking and implementation.
“To bolster the economy, the legal community should focus on nurturing the judiciary and key regulatory bodies.”
The conference also emphasised that the outcomes and recommendations should be earnestly embraced and executed and that the profession’s commitment to justice must remain unswerving.
The theme of the 2023 AGC was, “Getting it right: Charting the Course for Nigeria’s Nation Building”.
There were 16,340 registered conferees at the conference which had six plenary sessions, 21 breakout sessions, 26 speakers, 99 panelists and 23 moderators.
The Conference was declared open by President Bola Tinubu and the keynote speaker at the opening ceremony was Mr Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Board of Governing Council, Tony Elumelu Foundation.
