ACHIEVEMENT

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE EBONYI STATE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

Under Dr. Ben Uruchi Odoh (Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice)
Period: June 20, 2023 – June 20, 2025

1. Strategic Framework

• Introduced the “Charter of Justice”, a people-centered reform agenda to humanize justice delivery in Ebonyi State.

2. Digitization and Transparency

• Launched the Ebonyi State Case Management System (www.ebonyistatemoj.org), enhancing efficiency, transparency, and record-keeping.
• Installed speech-to-text devices in five High Courts, four at Abakaliki Custodial Centre, and the e-Ministry of Justice, improving courtroom documentation and reducing delays.

3. Access to Justice and Legal Aid

• Established the following institutions to widen access to justice, especially for vulnerable groups:
• Office of the Public Defender
• Citizens’ Mediation Centre
• Ebonyi Multi-Door Courthouse
• Sexual Assault and Gender-Based Violence Response Department
• Opened a Ministry of Justice outstation in Afikpo to decentralize and expand access to rural communities.

4. Human Capital and Institutional Development

• Trained/sponsored over 100 law officers in professional development, including mediation, arbitration, legislative drafting, and attendance at Nigerian Bar Association conferences.
• Paid Bar Practicing Fees for all law officers — a rare gesture in public service.
• Constructed world-class chambers for six prospective Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) from Ebonyi State.

5. Case Resolution and Legislative Drafting

• Successfully concluded:
• 166 criminal cases
• 445 civil matters
• 450+ additional cases ongoing
• Drafted 26 executive bills, all enacted into laws by the Governor.
• Prepared 300+ legal agreements for government projects.
• Refurbished the Ministry’s law library and strengthened digital research capacity.
• Published the Ebonyi State Law Reports and the Ministry of Justice Law Journal.

6. National Leadership and Influence

• Elected Chairman, Body of States Attorneys-General (BOSAG).
• Spearheaded negotiations with LexisNexis (South Africa) for codification and re-codification of Nigerian laws and those of the 36 states.
• Hosted the South East Special Policy Summit on Criminal Justice Reform (Nov 2023).
• Partnered with the Federal Justice Sector Reform Coordinating Committee (FJSRCC) on nationwide legal reforms.
• Hosted the 3rd Retreat of the Committee for the Review of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Ebonyi State, 26th–29th August 2025).

7. Alignment with State Governance Philosophy

• All reforms aligned with His Excellency, the Executive Governor’s vision of “The People’s Charter of Needs”, ensuring a citizen-first approach to justice delivery.