The Attorney -General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has solicited the support of the Nigerian Senate for proper funding of his ministry and debt repayment.
He has therefore appealed to the Senate panel to appropriate N30bn to the Ministry annually in order to defray the debts.
Malami who disclosed this during his appearance before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, explained that his ministry has accumulated bills due to poor funding.
The AGF was quoted as saying; ‘We are unable to meet our obligations due to low funding and now debt incurred by the Federal Government has risen to N150bn.
He said, “The Ministry of Justice was mandated to take inventory and explore avenues for the payment of judgment debt which has become hydra-headed.
“This has arisen because it was only in 2017 that the sum of N10bn was disbursed for the payment of judgment debt as appropriated.
“As it stands, the sum of over N150bn remains unpaid, prompting beneficiaries of this sum to keep mounting pressure on the Ministry.
“Distinguished members of this committee are hereby respectively requested to intervene on this long standing vex issue by appropriating the sum of N30bn annually to mitigate this challenge.
“It will also forestall possible friction, accrued interests and unwarranted litigations arising from our failure to effect payment.”
