EU, UNODC Partner to Strengthen IT Capacity of Justice Sector Officials in Nigeria

Author: James Ayodele, September 8 2014 - The computer and other information technology (IT) equipment are becoming commonplace across the justice sector in Nigeria. However, the lack of, or insufficient, IT skills is limiting the use of the computer by justice sector officials. Although some judicial administrative units are equipped with latest generation of computers, these are yet to become daily working tools.

To bridge the gap between availability and use of IT equipment, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has begun a training program to build the competence and skills of justice sector officials to use the computer for the administration of justice in Nigeria. This training program is being implemented as one of the capacity building initiatives of the European Union (EU) funded project, “Support to the Justice Sector in Nigeria.”

In July 2014, one hundred justice sector officials from Bayelsa (30), Benue (32), and Cross River (38) were trained in the use of the computer. These states are three of the project’s nine focal states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. Participants in the training included investigators, prosecutors and administrative staff of the Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice, as well as police and prison officers. Each training session lasted five full days and participants learnt, among other things, how to use the computer to create, organize and store documents, prepare and make presentations, surf the internet, manage basic data, and access the new and social media.

According to the Training Consultant, Mr Olatunji Alfred Komolafe of BVS Computer, 10 of the trainees had never used a computer before, but by the end of the training they were able to use the computer to perform basic administrative tasks. “Despite the short period of the training, feedback from trainees shows that all of them are now computer literate and can use the computer to perform various tasks at work and at home,” he said.

A trainee in Cross River State said: “I knew how to use the computer before but now I have learnt many new things. I have learnt some simple approaches, important shortcuts and simple formulas. The training has been very helpful.” Another trainee from Benue State said: “It was my first time of touching a computer, but with this training I am computer literate. I can now use Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and the internet. I can type on the computer, prepare payroll, design colored pages and send messages. I created my email account during the training. I thank the EU, UNODC and the trainers for this.”

This training is expected to contribute to the project’s goal of improving the effectiveness, accessibility, accountability, transparency, and fairness of the justice system in Nigeria. It will help increase efficiency in the justice sector by enhancing information exchange and the speed with which justice is dispensed. More justice sector officials are expected to be trained in all the nine project states and the FCT in the coming months.