Bill To Hike Salaries, Allowances Of Judicial Officers Passes Second Reading At Senate

Senate on Thursday passed the second reading of a bill that sought an increase in salaries, allowances and official benefits for judicial officers.

During a plenary, most of the senators voted in favor of the bill when Senate President Godswill Akpabio asked everyone to vote. Following the positive response, the Senate President sent the bill to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters.

After these departments review the bill, the report will be submitted back within four weeks. President Bola Tinubu in March requested the Senate to consider approving the bill.

During Thursday's meeting, Deputy Senate Leader Oyelola Ashiru led the debate on the bill and explained that this bill will help to enhance the welfare, capacity and independence of the judiciary officers.

He noted that the Independence and capacity of judicial officers in the country has been a contentious issue, noting that this bill approval will encourage the integrity of the judicial arm of government after it has been completely passed and executed.

"There is a need to bring up the remuneration of judicial officers that have stagnated over the years," Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) said, Premium Times reported. "This will insulate judicial officers from corruption and give them the courage to deliver judgments that are just and fair."

Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), on the other hand, said he is confident that the bill will get completely passed by the Senate in the coming future.

"No right thinking Nigerian will not think that it is right to keep the judiciary comfortable. I want to thank the executive for deeming it fit to increase the salaries of judges at all levels," he said. "We should not stop at the judiciary but look at other sectors of the economy."

Emmanuel Udende (APC, Benue North-east) also echoed similar sentiments and said that for the last 15 years, the "judicial officers have remained on meagre salaries." Udende explained that talking to these officers as a lawyer, makes him understand how their morale is dampened due to less salary.

As per the current salary package of the officers, the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has allocated N3,363,972.50 annual salary to the Chief Justice of Nigeria. Whereas, the basic salary of a justice of the Supreme Court and President of the Court of Appeal per year is N2,477,110,00.