Lagos State Judicial Service Commission

LAGOS STATE JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION

The Lagos State Judicial Service Commission was inaugurated as a Judicial Service Committee in 1980 by the first Executive Governor of the State, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande with Hon. Justice Adetunji Adefarasin who was then the Chief Judge of Lagos State, as its first Chairman. It was however reconstituted and changed to Judicial Service Commission in May 1999 during the tenure of Hon. Justice S. O. Adagun the erstwhile Chief Judge and Chairman Judicial Service Commission. The change from Committee to Commission was in line with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

Judicial Service Commission is a statutory body responsible for, among other things, the appointment, promotion and discipline of Judicial and non-Judicial Staff of the Lagos State Judiciary. The Chairman of the Commission is the Honourable Chief Judge. Other members are the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and five other members including the Secretary to the Commission who are duly appointed by the Governor of the State.

It is an establishment under Chapter VI Section 197 (1) (C) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with its composition, functions and powers set out in part II of the Third Schedule of the Constitution. Its functions are similar in scope and nature with those of the Civil Service Commission, the State Independent Electoral Commission and Local Government Service Commission. According to Sections 202 and 204 of the 1999 Constitution, the State Judicial Service Commission may make its own regulations. The constitution provides that in the exercise of its powers, the State Judicial Service Commission, like the State Civil Service Commission and State Independent Electoral Commission, shall not be subject to the directives and control of any other authority or person.

The Lagos State Judicial Service Commission since its inception in 1980 had moved its office from place to place and finally, settled down at its present permanent site, Oba Akinjobi Way, Opposite Police College, G.R.A., Ikeja. The new office complex was officially commissioned on Tuesday, 12 th March, 2013 by the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, during which he directed that the building be named and referred to as “ADETUNJI ADEFARASIN HOUSE” in honour of the second (2 nd ) Chief Judge of the State and the longest serving Chief Judge to date – 1st November, 1974 – 24th January, 1985.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF DEPARTMENT AND UNITS: LAGOS STATE JUDICIAL SERVICECOMMISSION

ADMINSTRATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTORATE

The Administration and Human Resource Directorate is the engine room of every

Ministry, Extra -Ministerial Department and Agency (MDAs) in the Lagos State Public Service. The Department coordinates the following units

• Employee Relations
• Workforce Planning/Recruitment
•  Learning & Development
•  HR Measures
• Accountability Duty Post

In JSC, THE directorate undertakes the following functions:

1. Assisting the Executive Secretary/Permanent Secretary in the day to day running of the Commission, including the welfare of Commission Members.

2. Implementing all policy decisions and directives of the Commission.

3. Management of all matters relating to staff promotion, conversion, confirmation of  appointment, study leave, staff welfare and discipline via the instrumentality of the Personnel Management Board (Senior Staff).

4. Preparation of eligibility list of the potential Magistrates, Presidents and other members of Customary Courts and other judicial staff on Grade level 07 and

above.

5. Designing development training programme for the Presidents and other

members of Customary Courts.

6. Quality control over the provision of office infrastructure for Customary Courts by their host Local Governments/LCDAs.

7. Assisting the Executive Secretary/Permanent Secretary to investigate petitions

against Judicial and non- Judicial staff through the various Personnel Management

Boards Meetings (PMB).

8. Human capacity development by way of staff training, workshop and mentoring.

9. Management of assets of the Commission including office building.

10. Liaison functions i.e. dealing with other arms of Government and MDAs in matters affecting the well-being of the Commission.

11. Servicing of all meetings (Statutory, Emergency and Special) of the Commission.

12. Any other duty which may be assigned by the Executive Secretary/Permanent

Secretary as exigency demands.

CUSTOMARY COURT UNIT

The activities of Customary Courts and their Members within this period are

supervised by the unit. There are 45 Customary Courts in Lagos State distributed

across the 20 Local Government Councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas.

The unit is also responsible for ensuring that the Customary Courts in the State

performs their duties effectively and efficiently within the limit of their jurisdiction.

Also the unit in addition investigate petitions against Customary Court

Presidents/Members and their Support Staff. Other establishment matters i.e leave,

deployments e.t.c as it affects Customary Court Presidents/Members are handled by

the unit.

The enabling instrument regulating the activities of Customary Courts and their

support staff in the Lagos State Customary Court Law 2011 as amended in 2018.

FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS DIRECTORATE

The Directorate was formerly known as Accounts Directorate. The activities of the

Directorate are being supervised by the State Treasury Office, Alausa, Ikeja. It reports to the Permanent Secretary for its day today functioning in the Commission.

Its major responsibility in every Ministry, Extra-Ministerial Department and Agency is to ensure that the financial activities are in compliance with Financial Regulation, Lagos State Government Public Finance Management law 2011 and other Treasury Circulars.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Collection and collation of realistic Estimate of Capital and Recurrent Expenditure when preparing budget. Maintaining statutory books of Accounts (both in hard and soft copies) for approved budget execution and financial resources management accountability system.

2. Ensuring prompt rendition of all returns such as consolidated revenue reports,

Bank reconciliation statements, revenue and expenditure returns and oracle cash

book generated reports.

3. Disbursement of funds and proper monitoring and accounting for revenue.

4. Collaborating in the preparation of Ministry Department and Agency (MDA)

Budget proposal and ensuring effective budget and control by matching and

comparing budget figures with actual expenditure or revenue, as the case may

be and advising the Accounting officers appropriately.

5. Liaising with the Accountant General for interpretation of the provisions of

Financial Regulation and Treasury circulars. Also ensuring compliance with

Financial Regulations, LASG Public Finance Management Law and other Treasury

Circulars.

6. Ensuring the existence of effective Audit Query procedures to promptly deal with

all queries from internal audit unit, Monitoring and Investigation Directorate of

the office of the Accountant General, office of the State Auditor General and

Public Accounts Committee of the State House of Assembly

In discharging its function, the directorate has six (6) major units which are stated

below and their schedules:

1. Financial Information Systems:

The unit is responsible for recording, communication, analyzing and interpreting

of the income (Receipts) and Expenditure in aggregate and in details via Oracles

Financials Software

2. Budget and Expenditure Control

The unit is responsible for maintaining and controlling statutory books of Accounts

and also to raise Vouchers for all payment of the Ministry for Contracts awarded

and for other services rendered.

3. Sub-Treasury

The unit is responsible for disbursement of fund based on approval and

maintaining the necessary statutory books.

4. REVENUE

The unit is responsible for collection of all revenue due to the Commission. The

major source of Revenue for the Commission are sales of Annual Report,

boarded items and fine/penalty fees. Funds collected in this respect are remitted

to the Treasury Single Account on daily basis.

5. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

The unit is responsible for preparation of salary for payment of employees’

emolument, Contract staff, Customary Presidents and Members and Pension for

Retired Judges.

However, processing and preparation of the three payrolls are centrally

computerized and derived from information obtained from Ministries and

Agencies.

6. ASSETS AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

The unit is responsible for the acquisition and disbursement of store items. The

category of stores in the Commission are consumable, the two types are General

and Customary Stores.

LEGAL UNIT

The Legal Unit of the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission is under the supervision

of the Permanent Secretary. It works in collaboration with the Administration & Human

Resource Department of the Commission to ensure the progress of the commission.

The responsibilities of the Commission include:

1. Treating petitions against Magistrates, Customary Court Members and any Senior

Staff of the Judiciary.

2. Recommending and advising the commission in accordance with applicable

relevant laws, rules and regulations after a careful review of Petitions.

3. Attending Disciplinary and Statutory meetings of the Commission.

4. Attending Court and mediation sessions on behalf of the Commission

5. Attending to any other matter that the Commission may consider necessary in

the best interest of the Commission.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS UNIT

The Public Affairs Unit attached to the Judicial Service Commission is saddled with the responsibility of gathering and disseminating appropriate Information that will improve the image of the State Government via the Commission activities. It builds and sustains cordial relationship between the Commission and the public (internal and external). The Unit also plans and manages all events and programmes of the Commission with adequate publicity awareness.

The Unit was established purposely to inform, educate and enlighten both internal and external members on the policies, activities and programmes of the government and to ensure free flow of communication between the Commission and the general public.

The following are the Roles and Responsibilities of the Unit:

 Daily Monitoring of News reports via the Print Media, Electronic Media and

Social Media on daily basis.

 Advertisements.

 Engage in Adequate Publicity for Programmes, Events and Activities of the

Commission.

 Event Management.

 Issuance of Press Releases, Features Article, Rejoinders etc.

 Writing of Speeches.

 Media Relations.

 Effective Usage of Notice Boards for Photo News and Pasting of Newspapers

Cuttings.

 Safekeeping of JSC Activities Photo Album for Record and Reference Purposes.

 Constant update of JSC website and Official WhatsApp Platforms

 Collation of Materials and Production of Official Dairy and Annual Reports for

the Commission.