Governor seeks siting of NJI Southsouth campus in Bayelsa
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has said his administration will do its best to ensure Southsouth campus of the National Judicial Institute (NJI) is sited in the state.
He gave the assurance yesterday when the House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary led by Oluwole Oke visited him at the Government House, Yenagoa.
He said siting the NJI in Bayelsa would complement the campus of the Nigeria Law School in Yenagoa.
Diri promised members of the committee of his government’s support to achieve the reforms required of the justice system in the country, particularly as they carry out their oversight function in the state.
He called on his former colleagues to bring their wealth of experience to bear on addressing the challenges bedevilling the judiciary and asked them to proffer solutions at the end of their tour.
Diri said: “You talked about the NJI. We have the Law School here in Yenagoa, and this will complement a school like that. So, I assure you that the state government will support siting of the NJI in Yenagoa.
“We believe you will put in your best to make the judiciary in our country better. I am sure you will bring your wealth of experience to bear.
“As you know, our problems are multifaceted that people always first point to the executive because it carries out the day-to-day administration of government. But it does not end there. The judiciary has its own challenges too.”
Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Oluwole Oke, said they were in the state for on-the-spot assessment of the infrastructure in the judiciary, the courts, as well as to ascertain the welfare of the personnel working at the courts.
On the issue of siting a campus of NJI in the Southsouth, he said it was borne out of the need to reduce cost of judicial workers travelling for courses to the NJI headquarters in Abuja in relation to the security and safety of participants.
Oke noted that with the governor’s assurance to facilitate the establishment of the NJI campus, the committee would look at it and decide appropriately. (The Nation)