Prison Decongestion: Obaseki seeks NBA’s input, to Reduce Inmates Awaiting Trial  

…links Edo’s progress to support of Judiciary

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has sought the input of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Benin Branch, on the state government’s effort to decongest prisons in the state and reduce the number of prison inmates awaiting trial.

The governor also attributed the progress recorded by his administration to the support of the judiciary in the state, who provided the needed enablement for restoring law and order.

Obaseki disclosed this when he received the newly elected executive members of the NBA, Benin Branch, who were on a courtesy visit at Government House in Benin City, the state capital.

He urged executive members of NBA to work with the in-house committee on the decongestion of prisons in the state, as his administration is committed to reducing the number of inmates awaiting trial, significantly this year.

Explaining that his administration has been able to restore law and order in critical sectors of the state, he said: “The success of my administration so far has been principally based on the ability to use the law, constitution and the judiciary.”

The governor said the design for the industrial court to be built by the state is ready and reassured that the state government is committed to repositioning the state as a judicial hub in the South-South geopolitical region.

“Our goal is to build a state that has a robust complement of the whole judicial infrastructure. We want to make the state attractive to judges and have commenced a project to develop housing estate for our judges to enable them live in comfort and security,” he said.

The newly elected chairman of Edo State Chapter of the NBA, Prince Collins Ogiegbaen, commended Governor Obaseki for his decision to reduce the cost of obtaining Certificate of Occupancies (C-of-Os), noting that the step will encourage investors and increase revenue receipts for the state.

He commended the governor on the giant strides being recorded in the agricultural sector, adding that the NBA anticipates a boom in the oil palm sector.