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The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has stated that the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning is looking into improving budgetary allocation to the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria in 2025, to help tackle its funding challenges.
He disclosed this during the opening ceremony of the Management Retreat of the Council in Lagos, which was sponsored by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ROLAC), funded by the European Union and implemented by International IDEA.
The 2-day Management Retreat was the second Retreat organized by the Council since Aliyu Abubakar assumed the helm of affairs as DG of the Council. In attendance the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN accompanied by Fernandez Marcus, SA of the President attached to the Office of the HAGF, representatives of the COP Lagos Command, DCP Ahmed Lateef, PhD and SP Cardoso Yetunde. Also in attendance was the representative of the Controller, Nigerian Correctional Service, Lagos Command, Rotimi Oladokun.
In his speech the Hon. Attorney General also noted that the Ministry of Justice is working hard to improve the funding of the Legal Aid Council as part of efforts to strengthen justice administration in the country.
The minister stated that since he assumed office, he has been determined to champion the cause of the Legal Aid Council and make efforts to rejuvenate and assist it in achieving its mandates.
“I am saying that the budget allocation of the Legal Aid Council should be as much as it is in developed countries, but should make it reasonable in the country,” Fagbemi asserted.
According to the minister, there is a need to build the capacity of the Council because everything is changing and it cannot give what it does not have.
He vowed to continue to assist the Legal Aid Council, urging private lawyers to volunteer to assist the Council by offering pro bono services, especially in rural areas.
He added, “The conditions of service are being looked into, as are some other critical areas that the government is looking into, such as assisting the Legal Aid Council, as we have heard from the Director General. So I am happy to be here and I hope that they will continue to reciprocate this gesture to the government.”
Also, the Director-General of the Council, Aliyu Abubakar, disclosed that the Council had also applied to the Presidency to recruit 500 new staff.
He also revealed that the Council had received a response from the Presidency for the recruitment, noting that it was only ironing out the grey areas pointed out.
The DG added that the Honorable Minister had given the Council the go-ahead to work toward improving its budgetary allocation.
He appealed to the Hon. Attorney General to continue to support the Council to be able to provide legal services for the less privileged in the country.
