By Sylvester Thompson
#TrackNigeria: Legal practitioners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja,
The lawyers also agreed that a functional rule of law would create investment haven for foreign and local investors which would facilitate economic growth of the country.
The legal practitioners spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
Mr Anthony Agbonlahor, however, noted that Nigeria was a progressive country where the rule of law was gradually taking effect to effect the necessary changes needed to grow the economy.
“What we need from Nigerians and stakeholders,, the world over, is encouragement regarding the judicial sanitisation which the government has embarked upon.
“We can determine our economic destiny if all hands are on deck to ensure that the rule of law operates free of all encumbrances.
“There is no arm of government that has passed through so much sanitisation recently than the judiciary.
“This is necessary due to the tremendous and weighty responsibility we carry, hence the effort to ensure an incorruptible judiciary is a prerequisite for a functional rule of law,’’ Agbonlahor said.
Also, Mr Rilwan Okpanachi, another lawyer, said that the rule of law was what set the economic index in perspective.
Okpanachi said for a great country like Nigeria, all expected dividends of democracy centred on the rule of law.
“For a society to have its heart beat, conscience and economic progress in the right direction, the rule of law must be operative, upright and outstanding at all times,’’ Okpanachi said.
The lawyer said that strengthening of the law would facilitate not only economic growth but also create a standard in which other African democracies could copy.
According to him, it is the rule of law that creates the enabling environment and opportunity for businesses to thrive and for people to accomplish their dreams without fear.
“It is the law that has stopped the strong from trampling upon the weak, and it is the law that has given the weak a chance to stand up to the strong.’’
He expressed optimism that the present administration in the country would enhance the effectiveness and enhance the operation of the rule of law in its next level agenda.
Mr Emmanuel Adedeji said that it was only the rule of law which could ensure the expected and drastic economic boom the government was desirous of.
“We can improve on the content of our laws and also support amendments in order to achieve our desired economic progression,’’ Adedeji said.
He also said that the National Assembly could initiate amendments to some of the country’s laws found to be in contrast with the expected speed of economic change the society desired.
“For speedy economic progress, we can propose amendments and bring up effective laws in place that will assist the change we are expecting to come into being,’’ he said.
“The judiciary, being the last hope of the common man, has a vital role to play in shaping the society.
Adedeji advocated the reinforcement of the rule of law to “aid the economic and political growth of any true democratic nation.’’(NAN)
