BY PRISCA OGBO
the Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ekemejero Ohwovoriole (SAN), has assured the Nigeria Corrections Centre of his Ministry’s collaboration in strengthening the justice delivery in the state.
Ohwovoriole gave the assurance when he played host to the Controller of the Nigeria Corrections Service, Delta State Command, Mr Raymond Nwagu in his Asaba.
Expressing that both offices worked together, as individual departments in the criminal justice system, Ohwovoriole commended the Controller for his mindset towards inmates by ensuring that they were not just in prison for punishment but to develop themselves in the area of skill acquisition so that they would be useful members of society.
The Attorney-General, informed the Controller of the Ministry’s Restorative Unit, adding that its primary essence was to prevent minor offences from going to court. He also noted that there was no way the Ministry of Justice could function by just going to court, secure conviction, send offenders to prison and when they return, they become worse than how they were before being sent to prison.
Earlier, the State Controller of Corrections Service, Mr Raymond Nwagu said the reason for the visit was because the Attorney-General’s office was one of their areas of coverage, stressing that without the Ministry of Justice, it would be difficult for them to carry out their job effectively. He went further to solicit for some of the prison inmates to be pardoned, noting that many of them have merited the requirements for them to be granted amnesty.
The Attorney-General was presented an award of Excellent Service Delivery by the Controller of the Nigeria Corrections Centre. This, however, was the apex of the visit to the office of the Commissioner.
Meanwhile the Commissioner, also received the team of the Law Hub Development and Advocacy, led by Barr Austin Ikechukwu, on a courtesy visit, ahead of their training programme for stakeholders in the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
