The Ekiti State Government has said efforts are in the pipeline to translate the State’s laws among which include the law establishing Ekiti State Security Network Agency bill otherwise called ‘Amotekun Corps’ into the Yoruba language.
The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr. Olawale Fapohunda in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday while addressing newsmen.
Fapohunda said the development was targeted at motivating people of the state who do not understand English to be conscious of the operational legal frameworks in the local language.
He said translating the laws of the state into the indigenous language will liberate the citizens from complete ignorance by ensuring individuals have an understanding and encourage participatory democracy.
Fapohunda further stated that “given the volumes of the Laws of Ekiti State, the translation will be implemented in phases. The first phase will include laws that have a direct impact on the daily reality of our people”.
According to him, some of the Laws that will be translated include Sustainable Development Goals Law, Ekiti State, 2019; Ekiti State Property Protection ( Anti- Land Grabbing ) Law 2019; Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition ) Law 2019, and Ekiti State (Transition) Law, 2019.
Fapohunda noted that some of the policy documents of the Ministry of Justice like the Ekiti State Charter for Victims of Crime; Directive on Non-discontinuance of Criminal Matters, Additional Measures in aid of Prosecution of Sexual Violence will also be translated into the Yoruba language.
Asked whether the proposed Amotekun Bill will be translated after the Governor’s assent, Fapohunda said the translation of the bill is expedient as it affects the daily lives of the people of the state, especially rural dweller.
On how the Laws will be translated, the Attorney -General said the state will engage a specialist in the Yoruba language in all the state-owned tertiary to fashioned out the state’s laws in the indigenous language.