The acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Monday, cautioned the directors and Inspectors of Area, Sharia and Customary courts in the country against jettisoning ethics of the profession in the line of duties.
Against the backdrop, Ariwoola further reminded the judicial officers on the need to put their best foot forward and discharge their duties in line with the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Court Employees.
He made the call at the opening ceremony of the National workshop for Directors and Inspectors of Area/Sharia/Customary/Court in Abuja, with the theme: “Promoting Efficiency in the Dispensation of Justice in the Lower Courts”.
Further to that, he advised that they must ensure they are effective in their supervision and inspection in the fight against corruption.
He said, “Distinguished participants, in light of the foregoing, you must be effective in your supervision and inspection of the Area/Sharia/Customary Courts as doing so will go a long way in building public confidence in our courts, fight corruption, laziness and other inadequacies in the judiciary.
“I must also emphasize that in line with the provisions of the code of conduct for court employees, the ethics of your profession cannot be jettisoned for any reason whatsoever, you must continue to exhibit good conduct, competence and decorum in all that you do.
“The code of conduct must always govern your daily activities, you must be exemplary in your actions as integrity is an essential quality of justice administration, do not engage in activities that harm the fairness and efficiency of judicial process that could bring the judiciary into disrepute.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Administrator National Judicial Institute (NJI), Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi, charged the directors and inspectors to always be above board and exemplary in in their conduct.
“It is my conviction that at the end of this workshop, directors and inspectors of lower court’s at this forum would have learnt new things which would positively impact and advance their respective jobs,” he said.
