A senior lecturer at Lagos State University (LASU) Dr. Gbenga Ojo has advocated the setting up of strong institutions as a remedy to the problem of corruption in the country.
Ojo made the suggestion during the annual lecture of the National Association of Judicial Correspondents, Ikeja branch. “Having befitting institutions is the only way to end corruption in the country,” he said.
According to the university don, research has proved that trial and conviction of corrupt people alone cannot end the scourge of corruption that has brought government activities to a standstill.
Ojo admitted that the judiciary in the country is facing a lot of challenges which is hampering the effective dispensation of justice. “We have a lot of constraints facing the judiciary in the country, and one of such constraints is corruption.”
Apart from corruption, Ojo further identified delay in trial and judgment as clog in the wheel of judicial practices in the country.
He lamented that some judges are not abreast with technological development in the world thereby hampering delays in getting the needed information that would positively affect the professional practices.
He urged the relevant authorities to make court judgments available on-line for easy access for those who may want to make use of them.
To avoid the seeming delay in judgment as experienced in most courts, Ojo advocated specialisation of courts. “There must be special courts that specialize on financial crimes only”.
Highlight of the event was the professional awards given to some distinguished lawyers including the former Chairman, Ikeja Branch of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Barr. Onyekachi Ubani, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media, Femi Adesina and former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Ayotunde Philips.
By Pita Ochai