Fashola Signs Lagos State Reforms Commission Amendment Bill Into Law

Jan 30, 2012 - The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Monday signed the Lagos State Reforms Commission Amendment Law into law, stating that it is a bill that strengthens the capacity of government to discharge its responsibility for enthroning a society where law and order prevails.

Governor Fashola, who spoke at the Conference room of Lagos House, Ikeja said a good law reform commission is one that is able to think ahead for the government and respond to the needs of society by recommending amendments to laws so that they help government discharge its developmental obligations to society.

The Governor stated that his commitment to the rule of law remains unrelenting, adding that the greatest innovation of man is the development of the body of rules and regulations known as law, by which the affairs of men are regulated.

He added that he has often imagined what the life of man would have been like without laws, and noting that even dictators whose reigns always emasculate the Judiciary, repressing people's rights and disobeying court orders always run back to the same Judiciary for succour any time their acts in office are questioned. He says the recourse to Courts of law by such leaders shows the indispensability of good laws in any society.

Governor Fashola added that the Lagos State House of Assembly signs onto the dynamic objective, which is reflected in the speed bills are passed to amend the existing laws to serve our people and daily improve their quality of their lives.

The Governor said the public signing of laws is a commitment of the present administration from its inception about informing members of the public about legislative changes taking place in the society, stressing that he will not secretly sign any law in his office.

Earlier, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaiye had said it became necessary to review the present government approach to law reform and take another look at the Law Reform Commission to give it the necessary impetus to do its work comprehensively.

He added that it is an amendment legislation that has seen changes to a few sections, one of which is that in the old law, only a retired Judge could chair the Commission, stating that now, it has been relaxed to have a wider pool who is a legal practitioner with not less than 15 years experience and who in the opinion of the Governor is suitable for employment due to experience, training and qualifications.

Mr Ade Ipaiye explained that the law has also now included a part time Director of Legislative Drafting in the Commission to serve as a key link between the Ministry of Justice and the Commission.

The Attorney General said part of the provisions of the law, which has now been amended, include the power to repeal all obsolete legislations, adding that the Reform Commission can always make recommendations to the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Prominent among those who witnessed the ceremony were the Deputy Governor, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and members of the State Executive Council.

Jan 30, 2012 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Monday inaugurated the State's Advisory Council for the Prerogative of Mercy saying one of the objectives of the State's Justice System is to reform and, as much as possible, rehabilitate back into society those who transgress the laws of the State after serving due punishment.

In his remarks before swearing in members of the Council headed by the State's Attorney General, Mr. Adeola Ipaiye, Governor Fashola described the State's Justice System as "one of the vehicles through which Law and Order is enforced in the State" adding that its primary objective is to catch transgressors of the State's laws.

Stating the terms of reference of the Council, Governor Fashola urged the seven-member Council to familiarize themselves with the newly passed Criminal Law of the State to enable them make informed recommendations to the Governor on the issue of prisoners deserving of mercy.

Governor Fashola, particularly, drew the attention of the members to the provision in the new Criminal Law which now makes parole part of the institutional body of Criminal Justice in the State adding that the Council should base its recommendations on such parameters as the tenure that has been served by the convict and his or her general conduct while serving the sentence.

"I will urge you to familiarize yourselves with the newly passed Criminal Law in Lagos State. You will observe now that parole is part of the institutional body of Criminal Justice in Lagos State and wherever you think it necessary, having regard to the nature of the offence, the tenure that has been served by the convict and his or her conduct while serving, it will be open to you to make such recommendations", the Governor said.

According to him, "It will enable us to take advice from you whether, in your opinion, the prisoner has fully reformed, whether he is penitent and what the process could be to rehabilitate and return such a prisoner back into the society to continue his regular and normal life as much as possible".

Noting that the new Criminal Law now contains provision for non-custodian sentence, Governor Fashola declared, "This means that community services are part of the punishment regime that we have in the law and they may, in my view and subject to advice from the Attorney-General, also be open to you to recommend to us that after serving the custodian sentence, the prisoner became of good behaviour and is probably recommended for non-custodian sentence".

"All of these will have regard to the nature of offence for which the prisoner was convicted and whether returning the person back to society will, in anyway, constitute any danger to the society", the Governor said adding, "I will also like to recommend that you avail yourselves the benefit of the crime data that the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Justice, has developed".

He explained further, "We have instituted a Crime Data process that allows us now to keep accurate data, including photographs, of every person who has had an engagement with the criminal justice system of Lagos State, whether persons who are awaiting trial or have been convicted in that it helps you to monitor the progress in terms of time the prisoner was arrested right up to the time sentence is passed".

Expressing the importance of the Council to the office of the Governor, Governor Fashola declared, "The Council is of Immense benefit to me to exercise the powers conferred upon me in the Constitution to give clemency to those convicted and discharging justice according to the law".

Thanking members of the Council for accepting the invitation to serve, Governor Fashola who noted the equality in gender, Faith and ethnicity in the composition of the Council, said, "This speaks to the multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-gender nature of our State", adding, "This is where everybody in this country proudly calls home".

Earlier, while introducing members of the Council, its Chairman and Attorney-General of the State, Mr. Ade Ipaiye, said the inauguration of the Council was a Constitutional provision granting the Governor the power to grant clemency to convicted persons on the advice of the Council.

Other members of the Council include, Chief Kole Abayomi (SAN), a former Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Rev, (Dr) Mercy Ezekiel, Co-Pastor of the Christian Pentecostal Mission (CPM), Mr. Isa Mohammed Buhari, Mr. Jimoh Olasukanmi Tijani, Dr. Regina Clement Akpan, Deputy Comptroller of Prisons in the Welfare Department of the State's Prison Command and Mrs. Tolani Edu Adeola, a lawyer.

Also present at the occasion were the Deputy Governor, Hon. (Mrs.) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the Chief of Staff, Mr. Lanre Babalola, Head of Service, Prince Adeseye Ogunlewe, Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba and his Home Affairs and Culture counterpart Mr. Oyinlomo Danmole and Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engineer Ganiyu Johnson among other members of the State Executive Council and top government functionaries.

Jan 30, 2012 - Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Monday inaugurated the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 18th National Sports Festival billed to be hosted by the State in November, stating that Lagos will match and exceed the standard set by the last host, Rivers State.

Governor Fashola who spoke at the Banquet Hall of the Lagos House, Ikeja, while inaugurating the Committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire said Lagos State as a Centre of Excellence will succeed by using its strongest asset which is the people.

In his words "we have chosen to succeed by using our people who are our strongest assets and allow the private sector to drive our sports festival and hopefully sometimes Nigerian Sports. There is too much government in our sports. But Government can play its role of regulation but should allow private sector to express its power of enterprise and flourish".

The Governor explained that the Deputy Governor is statutorily the Chairman of the Committee and supported by heads of ministerial departments and agencies to facilitate communication with government to enable it play its role to regulate.

Governor Fashola added that the State Government is humbled by the acceptance of many giants of the Nigerian Corporate, Legal, Political and Social world to serve the Committee expressing the hope for not only a true sporting spectacle but also the first National Sports festival that will have a corporate sponsor and also many event sponsorship of the various games.

"More importantly, I expect the kind of efficiency that our partnership with the Private Sector has elicited in security, education, infrastructure, solid waste management and transportation to be replicated in our sporting life", the Governor stated.

Governor Fashola stated that the resolve by the State Government to improve the sporting fortunes of the State and the Country is one of the reasons why she bidded for the hosting rights and also accepted the rights.

He reiterated that Lagos State has been encouraged by the enthusiastic response by individual and Corporate citizens in the many sporting championship from football, lawn tennis, table tennis, athletics and scrabble that are sponsored by the Corporate and individual organisations.

The State Governor also implored the boards of the various sports associations which were recently inaugurated to harness the potential championships in respective sports into a harmonised calendar through which they can monitor emerging talents and provide support that will nurture them.

He added that because the effort will need collaboration to succeed, the various sponsors are also being implored to kindly notify the associations of their programmes and event for ease of record and for the purpose of accreditation.

Earlier the State Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Mr Wahid Enitan had said the inauguration of the Local Organising Committee with its various organs marks an important step towards the successful hosting rights.

He also presented all the members of the Local Organising Committee to the gathering.

Later, while responding on behalf of the LOC members, the Chairman and Deputy Governor, Princess Adejoke Orelope- Adefulire thanked the Governor for the opportunity given to the members to serve the State and promised that the members will deliver the best Sports Festival in the history of Nigeria.

He called on sports loving individuals and Corporate Organisations to support Lagos State Government efforts in funding the hosting of the games.

The members of the Local Organising Committee inaugurated include Commissioner for Sports,Mr Wahid Enitan, Vice Chairman, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Lateef Ibirogba, Commissioner for Health, Dr Olajide Idris, his counterpart in Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr Disun Holloway, Special Adviser on Sports, Dr Dolapo Badru, member of the State House of Assembly, Hon Babatunde Ayeni, Commissioner of Police, Lagos Command, Mr Yakubu Alkali, Permanent Secretary, Office of Sports, Mr 'Delano Adepoju-Conde, the Asoju- Oba of Lagos, Chief Molade Okoya Thomas (CON).

Other members are Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, former Managing Director of United Bank of Africa, Mr Tony Elumelu(CFR), Alhaji Uba Saidu Malami, Chief Ademola Seriki, Mr Olawale Edun, Mr Olusegun Dawodu, Mr Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Erelu Angela Adebayo, Professor Ademola Onifade, Mr Ademola Sadiq, Mr Ayodeji Tinubu, Prince Wale Oladunjoye, Mr Godson Uti, Mrs Grace Asagba, chairmen of Local Organising Committee (LOC) Sub-Committees, Dr Kweku Tandor who will serve as the Secretary General and Mr Nunayon Travih who would function as the Assistant Secretary-General.




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Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (L), members of the Committee, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas CON (M) and Chief Ademola Seriki (R) during the inauguration of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the 18th National Sports Festival at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, IkejaGovernor Babatunde Fashola SAN (L), Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas CON (M) and Chief Ademola Seriki (R) during the inauguration of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC).


Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (5th L) with his Deputy and Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the 18th National Sports Festival, Hon (Mrs) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (4th L), Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development and Vice Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Wahid Enitan Oshodi (L), Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Aderemi Ibirogba (4th L from behind), other members of the Committee, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas CON (5th R), Chief Ademola Seriki (4th R), Senator (Dr) Olorunnimbe Mamora (2nd L), Mr. Olusegun Dawodu (2nd R), member and former Group Managing Director of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Tony Elumelu CFR (3rd L), member and Director of Sports, Lagos State Sports Council, Mrs. Grace Asagba (3rd R) and other members of the Committee at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, IkejaGovernor Babatunde Fashola SAN (5th L), Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (4th L), Mr. Wahid Enitan Oshodi (L), Mr. Lateef Ibirogba (4th L from behind), other members.

Obiagu1:

Is Eko Ile not Fashola himself?

Obiagu1:

Is Eko Ile not Fashola himself?