We’ll lose foreign investors if our justice system is ineffective – Buhari tells judges

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the country might lose foreign investors if the justice system is ineffective. 

The President who was represented at the 2021 All Nigeria Judges’ Conference in Abuja on Monday November 15 by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, noted that the perception of the quality of our justice delivery system, determines the extent to which we can attract business.

Buhari said; 

“We are part of the global marketplace for investment and legal services.

“The extent to which we can attract business to our country depends in part upon investor perception of the quality of our justice delivery system.

“If we are seen as inefficient and ineffective, we would lose out to more efficient systems.”

The President also said that lawyers are partly to be blamed for the delay in dispensation of justice. 

He added; 

“As my lords are aware, delay in the dispensation of justice, coupled with the increase in the number of cases in our courts, have remained subject of grave concern.

“As someone said, our problem is not access to justice, it is exiting the justice system. And I know that the delays are not necessarily the fault of the judges. Lawyers are often also responsible.

“Should we not then, as has been suggested by some, evolve a court award system that recognises the court as the final and extensive public resort, and as such, delays and other dielectric tactics are visited with deterrent costs?”

On addressing the challenges facing the justice system, Buhari said; 

“I am not unaware of the number of challenges slowing the pace of transformation in our administration of the justice system. More needs to be done to strike a sound balance between a high level of productivity, the quality of judicial decisions, and careful consideration of cases.

“My administration, through the federal ministry of justice in collaboration with the National Judicial Council, has been working towards the resolution of these challenges.”