Wike Canvasses Establishment Of State-Owned Judicial Institutes … Inaugurates More Projects

As part of measures to strengthen the operations of the Judiciary and quicken the dispensation of justice in Nigeria, the Rivers State Governor , Chief Nyesom Wike, has canvassed the establishment of state-owned Judicial Institutes to complement the role of the National Judicial Institute in the training of judges, magistrates and other judicial workers in the country.
Governor Wike made the call during the inauguration of the Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute ( JMOKI) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission, South South Liaison Office in Port Harcourt last Friday.
The inauguration was performed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Governor Wike said the burden of dispensing justice in Nigeria required adroit training and retraining of judicial officers, stating that the establishment of the Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute was not intended to usurp the functions of the National Judicial Institute but to fill in the gap by playing complementary roles.
The Rivers State Governor, who donated the sum of N500 million as take-off grant for the institute, called for the amendment of the Judicial Institute Law No. 8 of 2021 establishing the Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute to strengthen its operations and enhance its financial independence.
He said the institute was named after Justice Mary Odili, a  retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Rivers extraction for her outstanding contributions to the development of Nigeria with an unblemished record of service.
Governor Wike also, on Wednesday, attended the 2022/23 Legal Year Ceremony held at the Rivers State Judiciary Complex, Port Harcourt.
Speaking at the event, Governor Wike disclosed that the Judiciary in Rivers State was at its lowest ebb and faced with major constraints in 2015 when he ascended  leadership as Governor of Rivers State, but his administration took up the challenge of providing the necessary support to enable it function effectively.
He explained that the Judiciary in Rivers State is now positioned on a strong footing by leveraging on critical infrastructures provided by his administration, including the building of a campus of the Nigerian Law School in Port Harcourt.
Governor  Wike also, at the weekend, commissioned the newly constructed Rukpakulusi/ Eliogbolo internal roads.
Addressing the people at the event, Governor Wike said his administration had performed exceedingly well in the delivery of projects in the state. He pointed out that his achievements had humbled his predecessor, former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, who designed pitfalls for his administration but failed.
Governor Wike, who accused Amaechi of failing to attract any project to Rivers State as a minister urged Rivers people to be wary of the antics of the former governor whom he said was hellbent on imposing his business partner, Tonye Cole, as Governor to plunder the state. He said that such plots would be resisted by Rivers people.
He called on Rivers people to vote for candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State come 2023 to consolidate on the development strides of his administration.
The governor, in company of the other members of the  G5 PDP Governors, also known as the Integrity Governors, also within the week attended the PDP campaign flag off in Abia State.

By: Taneh Beemene