Remawa posted on June 19, 2009 13:27
The Yar’Adua administration attaches great importance to the ratification and domestication of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and would ensure that this is speedily done towards implementing the country’s National Plan of Action (NPoA).
The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, stated this yesterday (18/06/2009) in Abuja while inaugurating the Committee on the Domestication of APRM Standards and Codes.
The Minister, who was represented by the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Abdullahi A. Yola, charged the Committee to set to work immediately to enable NEPAD Nigeria meet up with reporting standards inherent in the APRM Country Review Report and NPoA.
According to him, the NPoA for the country to implement the APRM Country Review Report was drawn up by NEPAD Nigeria following the successful peer-reviewing of Nigeria in October 25, 2008, which made it incumbent on Nigeria to implement the NAoP with effect from 2009.
Aondoakaa disclosed that every reviewed country is expected to report biannually, the status of the domestication of global best practices, standards and codes, which regulate good governance.
The terms of reference of the 14-person committee include: to identify existing conventions, standards and codes in each thematic area of the NPoA; process the signing, accession or ratification and domestication of relevant standards and codes identified into Nigerian laws; and identify obsolete standards and codes for amendment or abrogation, amongst others.
Speaking, the Special Adviser to the President on NEPAD, Ambassador Tunji Olagunju, stated that his Office requested the Attorney General to set up this committee to collate and ascertain the status of all international conventions/laws to which Nigeria is a signatory, in order to ensure the effective and timely reporting to the Summit of Participating Heads of State and Government of the APRM.
Olagunju, represented by Alhaji Mahuta, said that the APRM, whose main objective is to foster governance, peace and security in African countries, is the flagship programme of NEPAD.
According to him, the APRM is “a mutually adopted instrument for self-monitoring by African countries using agreed regional and international standards and codes for enthroning and deepening good governance in the continent”.
In response, the chairperson of the committee, Mrs. M. U. Agbamuche, assured that the committee would tackle the task before it with utmost dedication.
The committee is to submit its first report within three months of its first sitting.