The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. William Alo disclosed that social, political, economic and cultural problems has in no small measure affected the well-being of the populace and is at the root of crime and criminality bedeviling the country today.
The Permanent Secretary who was represented by Alhaji Sale Ahidjo, Director, General Services Department in the Ministry, made this assertion at a two days Sensitization Workshop/Training on the Administration of Criminal Justice System in Nigeria organized by the Legal Services Department of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
According to the Permanent Secretary, every society across the globe has its peculiar problems and challenges and the country is not an exception.
He, therefore, urged participants at the workshop to examine the increasing wave of crime in Nigeria and the factors incapacitating the Police and other security agencies in the task of crime prevention and control.
Mr. Alo requested participants at the workshop to proofer solution on issues pertaining to reasons why the security agencies are inadequately equipped and motivated, coupled with the perennial problems of poverty, unemployment and the breakdown of family values which have made crime prevention and control a difficult task.
The Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015, he agreed, is the much awaited revolution in the criminal justice arena as “the criminal justice system existing before the coming into force of this Act has lost its capacity to respond quickly to the needs of the society, check the rising waves of crime, speedily bring criminals to book and protect the victims of crime”
In her address, the Director, Legal Services in the Ministry, Barr. Mrs. Ijeoma Aruaga says that the existence of any society lies on citizens ‘ability to both define the parameters of acceptable social behavior and to ensure adherence to the social contract by establishing consequences that punish violations.
On rehabilitation and prison decongestion, she said, it is the belief of the people that prisoners could be reformed into productive, law-abiding citizens if they were given tools such as education, occupational credentials, connections and supportive programs to facilitate successful reintegration into society.
But according to the Director, Criminal Psychologists are convinced that rehabilitation wasn’t working and began pushing for an alternative approach.
For her, most of the impact of mass incarceration continues to be absorbed by the nation’s most vulnerable communities resulting in the demand for reformation of the Criminal Justice Act.
She, therefore, urged participants to dwell on the role of Criminal Justice Administrators under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015 with more emphasis on Labour law.
