•Says state now bears full responsibility to provide housing for Rivers-born judicial officers beyond service years
By Lillian Okenwa
Known for his boundless energy and the determination with which he undertakes every task, Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike threw himself into ensuring that every serving and retired judge of Rivers State origin owns a home. His excellency has achieved this goal. The buildings including residential quarters for Court of Appeal justices were recently commissioned by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad. This project is unprecedented and has been lauded by many. Governor Wike has proved the government’s appreciation for the immense contributions to the country by judicial officers. Knowing the sensitivity of their position in the society, it is through projects like this that judicial officers are shown that their labours are honoured and remembered.
In spite of the neck breaking workload of judicial officers particularly in the appellate courts, Federal High Courts and States High Court in the southern part of the country where people are more litigious, the question of owning a home in retirement has continued to pose a painful chal- lenge to judicial officers.
Earlier in the year, a Professor of Law and President of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, Professor Akinseye-George (SAN), faulted the practice of building mansions for retiring Chief Justices of Nigeria CJN), without any post-retirement housing plan for other Justices of the court. Noting that a CJN, like other jus tices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, retires at the age of 70 and a mansion is built for him with funds provided for in the National Judicial Council’s budget, Akinseye-George (SAN) said it was illogical to build a mansion for a retiring CJN who probably would not need it, while most of other judges retired without owning a house. “It makes no sense to give a retirement mansion to a retiring Chief Justice of Nigeria, who does not need it at his age, when all his children have probably left home and give nothing to other retiring justices. Even if we continue to indulge in that, the system ought not to forget the other justices,”
“It makes no sense to give a retirement mansion to a retiring Chief Justice of Nigeria, who does not need it at his age, when all his children have probably left home and give nothing to other retiring justices.”
Changing the trend however, Governor Nyesom Wike set out a policy where every retired judicial officer from Rivers State would own a home. This is given the constitutional restriction on legal practice for judges after retirement. As it stands, every Rivers State born retired judicial officer who has served in any court in Nigeria has an assurance of a retirement home. Expressing concern over the prevailing situation where judges retire without having personal accommodation to move into the Governor observed that: “Post legal service years could be miserable for judges who were unable to buy or build their own homes before leaving the service.”
He then disclosed that the provision of accommodation for judicial officers was a deliberate attempt to enhance their productivity and also ensure that they benefit like those in the executive and legislative arms of government. The policy covers all former Chief Judges, Presidents of Customary Courts of Appeal and all retired Judges who were in service when the policy was made. “With our policy, the State now bears the full responsibility of providing befitting accommodation for all judicial officers of Rivers State origin beyond their service years for life.”
Wike insists that all the arms of government must work in synergy to discharge their respon- sibilities. “You must give the people all it takes to do their best because you can’t talk about fighting corruption and then you will not give the Judiciary the support that it requires. One arm of government that is key in the fight against corrup- tion is the judiciary. Judges cannot fight corruption when they are not provided with the basic facilities. You cannot talk about deepening democracy with- out having the Judiciary or Legislature playing their role. The three arms of government must work together to be able to engender development for the state.I am in the executive as a governor and I enjoy. The legislature enjoys. So, why will people think that the judiciary is cursed?”Presently, 20 units of four-bedroom duplexes have been completed and commissioned.
Governor Nyesom Wike also stepped up his game by building a new court complex for Port Harcourt division of the Court of Appeal, includ- ing residences for its Justices and staff members. He said the act was to boost their morale to confi- dently discharge their duties. Commending the Governor for investing in the judiciary, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, said Nigeria will suffer a grave effect if judicial officers are con- sistently deprived of requisite infrastructure.Jus- tice Muhammad who was represented by Supreme Court’s Justice Mary Odili, urged other states’ gov- ernorsto emulate the Rivers State example adding that: “The gesture will promote the comfort of the judicial officers and efficient justice delivery.” On her part, President, Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, noted that the provision of the accommodation for the judicial officers would reduce the challenges that affect effective administration and dispensation of justice. She urged the Appeal Court Justices to reciprocate by continually upholding their oath of office by dispensing justice to all Nigerians without fear or favour.
The residences comprises of six bedroom duplex with Boys’ Quarters for the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, four units of six bedroom duplexes at Forces Avenue, two units of six bedroom duplexes at Akasa Street, a six bedroom duplex at Elelenwo Street and a four bedroom bungalow at Ejor Street for other judges including 16 blocks of flats for staff members of the Court of Appeal.
