The Lagos State Judiciary has established a Lagos State Judicial Training Institute to promote capacity building and strengthen workers’ skills at all levels.
The inauguration of the institute, the first of its kind in any state in the country, was held yesterday at 17A, Hebert Macaulay Crescent, GRA, Ikeja.
The Chief Judge, Justice Opeyemi Oke, said the initiative was pursuant to the Lagos State Judicial Institute Law 2007.
She said the institute would promote efficiency, uniformity and ensure improvement in the quality of judicial services in the superior and inferior courts.
Justice Oke said in addition to promoting effectiveness and facilitating development among the workers, the institute would update workers on recent developments in the law as well as expose them to international best practices, to ensure their relevance in a 21st century judiciary.
She said the institute is charged with the responsibility of conducting courses for all categories of judicial officers and supporting workers of the Lagos State Judiciary, with a view to enhancing their knowledge and performance.
“It will also provide continuing education for all categories of judicial officers by undertaking, organising, conducting and facilitating studies, courses, seminars, lectures, workshops, conferences and other programmes related to judicial education; organising once in two years a conference for all Lagos senior judges of superior and inferior courts.
“This institute will be disseminating by way of publication of books, journals, records, reports regarding its activities, subject to the approval of the board; and promoting or undertaking any other activity for the purpose of carrying out its functions under the law.”
Justice Oke said members of board of governors of the institute, who are going to bring to the service of the state judiciary, years of experience, professionalism and competence to take the judiciary to the next level, have been carefully selected.
She advised members of the board that they must first identify areas of weakness within the judiciary and the administration of justice sector and design programmes and trainings of categories of workers to address them to improve the capacity and overall effectiveness of the Lagos State Judiciary.
“The task ahead is enormous, but with God on our side, we will fulfil the dream of sustaining the position of the Lagos State Judiciary as the foremost Judiciary in Nigeria and in Africa.
“It is my hope that other state judiciaries will take a cue from Lagos State to set up their own training institutes,” Justice Oke said.
The Attorney General of Lagos State, Mr Adeniji Kazeem (SAN), said the institute was modelled after the National Judicial Institute, which is the body responsible for ensuring and promoting improvement of quality judicial services in courts.
The AG, who is also a member of the Board of Governors of the institute, added that the set objectives of the institute can essentially be achieved through the organisation of seminars, workshops, lectures. conferences and other programmes; which seeks to boost the continuous education of judiciary workers.
