Sokoto State Focal Person of the Justice Coordination Forum, Barrister Fatima Ahmed Usman addressing stakeholders at the 2 day meeting held in Sokoto. PHOTO BY ANKELI EMMANUEL
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto –
The Sokoto State Access to Justice Coordination Forum on the second day of its stakeholders meeting on Thursday has constituted three separate committees to help drive its mission in the state.
The committees include that of Policy and Strategy, Integrated Service Delivery, and the Information Management and Service Tracking.
Membership of the committees were drawn from Ministry of Justice, NBA, Legal Aid Counsel, Ministry of Health, National Human Rights Commission, and International Federation of Women Lawyers.
Others were from the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS), Child Protection Network, journalists, Sokoto Gender Based Response Team as well as some CSOs and NGOs.
Justifying the essence of the meeting which was by the European Union (EU) through UNICEF in collaboration with the State Ministry of Justice, The Sokoto Focal Person of the Justice Coordination Forum, Barrister Fatima Ahmed Usman said the programme was first introduced in Sokoto last year when state committee was inaugurated.
Barrister Habiba who is an acting Director in the Sokoto state Ministry of Justice, added that “with the setting up of these committees, service delivery will be better off”.
“Now, we are doing the first meeting of the state committee to appoint sub committees and to give them their respective roles”.
“The meeting will equally spell out the roles of each stakeholder to help us collectively achieve the objective of obtaining Access to Justice”.
She stressed tha the main objective of the Access to Justice Forum is to help the vulnerable children get speedy access to justice.
Speaking earlier, The Sokoto State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Brrrister Aisha Kaoje suggested that an advocacy visit be paid on Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Saidu Sifawa and the Grand Khadi, Hon Sodangi Shu’aibu Achida to keep them abreast with the vision and mission of the Access to Justice Forum.
