The Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, has said the state is becoming increasingly safe and attractive to investors with the development of a comprehensive criminal database designed to permanently document the records of persons charged with criminal offences.
Ohwovoriole disclosed this while receiving the First Vice President-Elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Oghenero Okoro, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Asaba.
Okoro’s visit was to express appreciation to the Attorney-General for his support and cooperation as the official leader of the Bar in Delta State during the recently concluded NBA national elections. The visit also provided an opportunity for the Attorney-General to formally present the certificate of return to the first Vice President-Elect.
Speaking on the state’s ongoing justice-sector reforms, Ohwovoriole said the criminal database, which is nearing completion, would capture the biometric information of all persons charged with criminal offences, thereby creating a reliable and permanent record to support law enforcement and enhance public safety.
According to him, the initiative is modelled after similar systems operating in other parts of the world, including Lagos State, and is intended to promote transparency, strengthen security and boost investor confidence.
He stated that no criminal charge would be processed in Delta State without first obtaining the biometric details of the suspect, stressing that records would be preserved irrespective of whether the individual was eventually convicted.
“The system will enable employers, investors and other stakeholders to verify whether an individual has a history of criminal involvement before engaging in employment or business transactions,” he said.
The Attorney-General further disclosed that the state government had enacted legislation aimed at encouraging private investment in electricity infrastructure and other critical sectors.
He explained that under the new law, individuals or organisations that purchase and install electricity infrastructure, including transformers, would retain ownership of the facilities or equipment to the extent provided by the law and would be entitled to reimbursement by the relevant electricity distribution company in accordance with its provisions.
Ohwovoriole said the measure was designed to provide greater protection for private investors while encouraging individuals and organisations to contribute to the development of critical infrastructure across the state.