The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), has stressed that effective justice delivery requires the collective effort of all categories of staff within the Ministry of Justice, not lawyers alone.

Pedro made this known yesterday in Ikeja at the opening of a two-day Junior Officers’ Workshop organised by the ministry, with the theme, “From Potential to Performance: Empowering Junior Officers for Excellence in Service Delivery.”

He explained that the workshop was designed for non-lawyer personnel, whose roles are critical to the ministry’s overall efficiency, noting that legal officers depend on the support of professionals across administration, finance, human resources, information technology, registry, research and public relations.

“Every officer has a role to play, as the quality of your work contributes directly or indirectly to the effectiveness of the ministry,” he said.

Pedro urged participants to uphold integrity, emphasising that public servants occupy positions of trust and must handle government resources and information with honesty, transparency and accountability.

He also stressed the importance of teamwork, warning that delays in one unit could undermine the performance of an entire department and ultimately affect service delivery.

According to him, the workshop will cover areas such as competence and productivity, office etiquette, communication, emotional intelligence, professionalism, ethics and integrity, as well as health, wellbeing and career development within the Lagos State Public Service.

“The objective is not merely to acquire knowledge, but to ensure that it translates into improved performance and better service delivery,” he added.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary and Solicitor-General, Hameed Oyenuga, described junior officers as the future of the workforce, urging them to translate potential into measurable performance.

“The quality of your work matters because your duties contribute directly to the effective administration of justice,” he said, while encouraging professionalism, adherence to deadlines, confidentiality and ethical conduct.

Oyenuga also advised participants to take ownership of their professional growth by seeking mentorship and maximising learning opportunities.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Citizens’ Mediation Bureau, Mrs Aderinsola Olarewaju, likened the role of support staff to a chain, warning that a weak link could disrupt the entire system.

“Everything you do reflects on the Ministry of Justice. Your conduct can either enhance or diminish its image,” she said, urging participants to take the training seriously and apply its lessons to improve their performance.

However, Mr Femi Sholaja then spoke to them on career path and growth in the Lagos State Civil Service on the  sessions on professionalism, ethics, health and wellness, career growth, as well as interactive discussions and feedback sessions.