A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George has commended President Bola Tinubu for taking action on improved remuneration for judges.
The President in a letter to the National Assembly titled: “Transmission of the judicial office holders salaries and allowances etc bill 2024”, dated March 19, 2024, urged that the new bill seeking to provide new salaries and allowances for judicial officers across the country be passed speedily.
Prof Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN
According to Akinseye-George, “The Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserves commendation for finally taking action on the salaries and allowances of judicial officers. The President has achieved what others before him could have done but neglected to do. We also salute the Hon. Attorney General Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN for this ground-breaking achievement in his time. More grease to your elbows,”
The letter read was at plenary by the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen on Tuesday.
The letter read: “In accordance with the provisions of Section 58(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended), I forward, herewith, the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, Etc) Bill, 2024 for the kind consideration of the House of Representatives.
“The Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, Etc) Bill, 2024 seeks to prescribe salaries, allowances and fringe benefits for judicial officers, to end the prolonged stagnation in their remuneration and to reflect contemporary socio-economic realities.
“The bill, which establishes a new legal framework for the remuneration of judicial officers, will also ensure significant improvement in the welfare, capacity and independence of the judiciary.
“Whilst I hope that the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Bill, 2024 will be carefully yet expeditiously considered and passed by the House of Representatives, please accept, Rt Hon Speaker, the assurances of my highest esteem.”
The proposed law seeks to prescribe salaries and allowances as well as other fringe benefits for judicial officers.
Recall that there has been agitation for an improvement in the salaries, allowances and other welfare packages of judicial officers in the country in recent times.
The Executive bill forwarded by the President was titled “A Bill for an Act to Prescribe the Salaries, Allowances and Fringe Benefits of Judicial Office Holders in Nigeria and for Related Matters.”
The House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary had on Monday invited the Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning as well as the Secretary, National Judicial Council for deliberation over the poor remuneration of judicial officials across the country.
Also invited to the meeting slated for Monday, March 25, 2024, are the National President, Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, the Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, the Chairman, Nation’s Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as well as the President, Nigeria Bar Association.
Meanwhile, the bill passed through the Third Reading in the lower chamber on Wednesday. It seeks to amend Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act, No. 6, 2002 (as amended) by deleting Section 2(b), Part II of the Schedule to the Act and any other provisions relating to Judicial Office Holders.
According to the document obtained by Channels Television, part I of the schedule shows that the Chief Justice of Nigeria is entitled to: N13,462,617.95 annual basic salary or N1,121,884.83 monthly salary. He is also entitled to: N51,157,948.21 annual regular allowances or N4,263,162.35 monthly regular allowances.
The CJN is also entitled to non-regular allowances of: N6,731,308.98 Leave Allowance (when applicable), N142,500 Duty Tour Allowance (per night); $2,000 estacode (per night); N80,775,707.70 severance gratuity (after successful completion of tenure) and N53,850,471.80 as motor vehicle loan (to be repaid before expiration of tenure), while Professional Development Assistant is to be paid from the NJC pool.
Other Justices of the Supreme Court are entitled to N9,913,394.22 annual basic salary or N826,116.19 monthly salary. Each of them is also entitled to: N50,558,310.52 annual regular allowances or N4,213,192.54 monthly regular allowances.
Each apex court judge is also entitled to non-regular allowances of: N9,913,394.22 for Rent (annually); N4,956,697.11 Leave Allowance (when applicable), N100,000 Duty Tour Allowance (per night); $1,300 estacode (per night); N29,740,182.66 severance gratuity (after successful completion of tenure), N29,740,182.66 furniture Allowance and N39,653,576.88 as motor vehicle loan (to be repaid before the expiration of tenure), while Professional Development Assistant is to be paid from the NJC pool.
This is even as their utilities and security are to be provided (TDP).
On the other hand, the President of the Court of Appeal is entitled to N9,913,394.22 annual basic salary or N826,116.19 monthly salary.
Each appellate court judge is also entitled to: N52,540,989.37 annual regular allowances or N4,478,415.78 monthly regular allowances as well as non-regular allowances of: N9,913,394.22 Rent (annually); N4,956,697.11 Leave Allowance (when applicable), N100,000 Duty Tour Allowance (per night); $1,300 estacode (per night); N29,740,182.66 severance gratuity (after successful completion of tenure), N29,740,182.66 furniture Allowance and N39,653,576.88 as motor vehicle loan (to be repaid before expiration of tenure), while Professional Development Assistant is to be paid from the NJC pool.
Additional report from Channels Television.
