Lagos Refutes Report on Poor Treatment to State Counsel

Kunle Awosiyan
The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has debunked in totality a report by an online media platform that the leadership of the ministry has been mistreating the state counsel.
The online report with the headline” “LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE: SHOCKING TALES OF WOE AND INJUSTICE: CLARION CALL FOR URGENT REFORM” was vehemently rebutted in a rejoinder signed Director, Public Affairs of the ministry, Mrs. Grace Alo.
It said, “The attention of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice has been drawn to a malicious and false publication by a faceless online platform and our reaction to the said publication is as follows:
The Ministry of Justice debunks in its entirety the false accusation leveled against the leadership of the ministry relating to the welfare and well-being of State Counsel as contained in the fabricated report by the platform. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
Alo said that the clamour for the payment of special allowances to law officers had been in existence since the year 2000 but past administrations could not actualize it,
However, the current administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had since approved it in October 2021 while partial implementation of the harmonisation of salaries and allowances commenced in November 2021, when State Counsel started receiving Security and Insurance Allowances.
She said, “The only outstanding item in respect of the harmonisation of state counsel salaries and allowances with that of the Magistrates is the responsibility allowance and the same has reached the final stages of implementation.”
According to her ,in the past couple of years, Robe allowances of State Counsel were not only paid yearly but were in fact increased substantially by 500% based on representations and memos presented by the Attorney-General to the governor.
“Apart from the above, other allowances are paid to State Counsel in their various departments depending or the schedule of duties. On the issue of unpaid Litigation Allowance, unfortunately, the payment is delayed due to administrative issues relating to the CBN Cash Re-Design Policy which has nothing to do with the Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice as well as the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary.
“Contrary to the unsubstantiated allegations in the write-up, there was no approval for payment of allowances to State Counsel during the NBA’s AGC. The only approval obtained related to funds paid directly to the NBA for sponsorship of the AGC and funds for holding a Lagos State showcase session during the AGC. There was no item in the approval for payment of allowances to State Counsel who were sponsored to attend the Conference as falsely and maliciously alleged. It is therefore false to allege that the Attorney-General refused to pay or release funds for the payment of allowances due to the State Counsel who attended the Conference,” she said.
Alo stated that there had been no maladministration in the Ministry of Justice, rather the Ministry under the watch of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN.
According to her, the commissioner has introduced innovations such as the Mentorship Scheme; the Secondment Programme (whereby State Counsel are posted to private law offices for a period of between 2-3 months to enable them to experience legal practice in the private sector).
“Counsel had continued to enjoy sponsorship to local and International Training and Conferences including the International Bar Association Conference; the District Prosecutor Scheme (State Counsel are posted to Magisterial districts to vet/filter charges filed by Police prosecutors); ensuring that all the Laws of Lagos State are available online in Law Pavilion; Drafting of over 23 Laws which have been passed and other pending Bills, including the Administration of Civil Justice Bill; Creating the first Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency in the country among others,” she said.