The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has declared that that the Federal Government has not managed the prison decongestion fund very well.

Speaking at a round table on an Agenda for Human Rights in Nigeria in Abuja on recently, NBA’s President Chief Joseph Daudu suggested that the NBA should be allowed to manage the process.

He said the association had 88 branches in 36 States and Abuja which he said put the association in a position to equitably distribute the briefs according to expertise and experience of NBA members.

He said the association did not desire to keep government funds for the prison decongestion.

However, he said the association only wanted to act as  a clearing house for the enlistment of competent members of the bar to be involved for a fee in the decongestion of prisons and other detention centres.

Daudu commended the decision of the ECOWAS Court which ruled that the FG was under obligation to provide free education for all.

He said that the decision had debunked and demystified the non justiciability of Chapter 2 rights, duties and responsibilities by government.

He urged government to set up the machinery to obey the ECOWAS Court judgment and implement the terms of that judgment to the letter.

“No government is above the law. Any attempt to sideline the decision of Courts will be resisted by the NBA. This is the only way to secure Peace, Order and good Government in Nigeria,” he added.

He commended, SERAP and its lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana for their timely intervention in the education sector of the country.

He said, “It is the best Christmas present ever presented to Nigerians. The NBA believes in the use of Public Interest Litigation to compel Government authorities’ compliance with constitutional and statutory provisions and duties.”

The NBA president said that there could be no other way in a democratic society to ensure compliance with statutory directives than the resort to constitutional measures of redress.

“That is why Government must always respect the decisions of peaceful democratic institutions like our Courts when it is handed down. The alternative to disobedience is to encourage people to contemplate extra-judicial measures for the purpose of seeking redress,” he added.