Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has inaugurated the State’s Law Reform Commission with a charge on members to help churn out laws that are 21st century compliant.
Inaugurating the five-man Commission on Tuesday at the New Executive Chambers Government House Owerri, Governor Uzodimma said he was committed to ensuring that the state operates with laws the people will be proud of.
He said the review and reform of the existing obsolete laws and statutes must be carried out to reflect modern challenges.
Those inaugurated as Commission members are the State’s Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, Barr. C. O. C Akaolisa as Chairman, Hon. Justice Ngozi Ukoha (rtd), Chief Sir Edozie Uche Nwaugo, Barr. Simeon Ikechukwu Azuama and Barr. (Mrs.) E. C. Aguta, Permanent Secretary/Solicitor General who will function as Secretary.
Governor Uzodimma had reminded them of the need to be diligent in the task assigned to them and “make Laws in Imo State that are 21st Century Compliant.”
The Governor described the members as “knowledgeable, hardworking and dedicated team players, expected to bring in their sterling qualities to bear in the discharge of their duties.”
Governor Uzodimma said: ‘’Law reform Commission has a great role to play in the sustenance and strengthening of our democracy. That can be achieved by ensuring that obsolete, archaic and spent laws as is found in the laws of Eastern Nigeria 1963 applicable to Imo State and all the laws of Imo State from 1976 till date are collated and revised.”
He charged them to “compile and ensure that the several amendments to the various laws are harmonized and necessary law revisions carried out.”
He noted that many of the provisions of the extant laws of Imo State are no longer in tune with current realities; hence the “need to revise and review some of the provisions of our laws cannot be overemphasized.”
The Governor emphasized that most of the laws with Penal Provisions have figures that are not only unrealistic but cannot serve the purpose for which they were enacted.
He, therefore, called on the Commission to critically look at the various enactments, especially those inherited from the laws of East Central State, to have them domiciled as part of laws of Imo State.
“Continuing quoting laws of Eastern Nigeria or East Central State before our courts today does not represent the State well.”
He assured that Government was ready to provide the Commission with all the enablement to ensure that before he leaves office “the Commission would have brought the entire laws of Imo State into a uniform set of laws, modern and properly revised to suit the contemporary needs of present day Imo State as this will comprise the laws of Imo State from 1963 to 2021 and therefore, represent annual publication of the laws of Imo State.”
The Governor added that Government expects expeditious execution of the assignment and other functions enumerated in section 4 of the law, No. 2 of 2006 as amended by Law No. 41 of 2019.
He reiterated his confidence in the calibre of members of the Commission, noting that the task ahead should be handled with the priority it deserves.
Responding on behalf of members of the Commission, the Chairman, Chief Akaolisa thanked the Governor for finding them worthy of the appointment and inauguration and assured that they will do their best to realize the statutory mandate of the Committee.
He promised that they will not fail the Governor, the Government and people of Imo State in the assignment.
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