FG yet to ratify over 400 treaties, protocols – Rep. Ossai
…Commissions national depository of treaties
The federal government on Tuesday inaugurated the National Depository of Treaties at the Federal Ministry of Justice just as the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Treaty, Rep. Ossai Ossai revealed that over 400 treaties, protocols and agreements entered into by successive governments were yet to be ratified and domesticated.
He said that the treaties and agreements which would have been of benefit to Nigerians have remained undomesticated.
Rep. Ossai made the disclosure at the commissioning of the National Depository of Treaties domiciled at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja.
The House of Representatives member described the project as a milestone and pledged the support of the House committee and the National Assembly toward making the project a huge success.
According to him, the House Committee on Treaties has at the inception of its work, identified four critical areas of development among which is the establishment of a functional National Depository of Treaties.
“As a committee, it is encouraging that the attorney-general has shown commitment towards the attainment of some of these goals through the formal commissioning of the National Depository of Treaties.
“This is very important because our engagements in the last few months have shown that over 400 treaties, protocols and agreements entered into by successive governments of Nigeria are yet to be ratified and/or domesticated.
“We also noted the fact that the National Assembly is not usually involved in the processes leading to negotiations and signing of most of these treaties, protocols and agreements,” he said.
The lawmaker however, used the occasion to solicit the collaboration of the executive arm of government with the National Assembly in promoting and sharing knowledge to make it easy for the ratification/domestication of signed treaties.
He said the committee has commenced the process of reviewing all treaties, protocols and agreements entered into by the federal government with a view to making them beneficial to all Nigerians.
Inaugurating the National Depository of Treaties, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) described the event as an important milestone that will enhance access to justice.
He said the project will serve as the depository of all treaties entered into by the federal government in line with Section 4 of the Treaties (making procedure) Act 2004 which domiciled the National Depository of Treaties in the Federal Ministry of Justice.
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He therefore, called on all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to transmit to the National Depository of Treaties all executed agreements, memoranda of understanding and treaties in their custody and those to be entered into in the future in their original form to the ministry.
“This is in further compliance with the service wide circular reference number HCSF/LU/FEC/M/938 dated March 2, 2017 issued by the head of the civil service of the federation as directed by the Federal Executive Council.
“It is our hope that very soon the National Depository of Treaties will be in the cloud for a more global outlook and accessibility from any part of the world.
“It is about transparency, accessibility and order in line with the tenets of open government partnership and access to justice, which the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to upholding,” Malami said.
Some of the goals of the project Malami listed include the achievement of a functional National Depository of Treaties, maintenance of a comprehensive/updated register of treaties and ensuring that all treaties, agreement and protocols entered into by the government are preserved.
