Court Orders Upward Review Of Judges Salaries

The National Industrial Court in Abuja has ordered the upward review of judicial officers’ salaries in Nigeria.

The court on Friday ordered the upward review of salaries, raising the monthly salary of the Chief Justice of Nigeria to N10 million, while that of justices of the Supreme Court and President of the Court of Appeal to N9 million.

Justices of the Appeal Court, Chief Judges, President of the Industrial Court, Grand Khadis and President of Customary Courts’ salaries have been increased to N8 million while other judges are to receive N7 million.

Delivering the judgement, Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osagie noted that the salaries of judges and justices have stagnated for over 14 years.

Consequently, he held that despite the increased workload on judicial officers, they have continued to suffer due to extremely low salaries and allowances which is very embarrassing.

Delivering the judgment, the court held that “There is no doubt that from evidence adduced before this court that salaries payable to judges as well as their conditions of service, has been greatly altered to their disadvantage.

“Judicial officers are daily impoverished by the devaluation of the Naira.

“They have suffered financial hardship and embarrassment owing to their poor pay. It is a shame to the country.

“Inspite of this, our judges have continued to carry out their statutory duties.

Justice Obaseki-Osagie said the irony is that justices are themselves victims of a great injustice. The judge held that it is the right of judges in Nigeria to have their salaries reviewed upwards periodically.

She said the National Industrial Court has the constitutional power to compel the Federal Government, through its agencies, to upwardly review the remuneration of judicial officers.

The court consequently ordered the increase of the salaries of judicial officers in Nigeria.

The court directed that the order should be served on the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN.

It equally awarded N1.5 million cost against RMAFC, the AGF and the National Assembly, who were all cited as Defendants in the matter.

Sebastiane Hon, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria had sued the National Assembly (NASS), the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), over the poor salary earned by judges in Nigeria.

He noted that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who is the highest-paid judicial officer earns about N3.4 million per annum which is below what others are paid outside the country.

He proposed a minimum monthly salary of N12 million for the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and N11 million for judges of Supreme Court.

President of the Court of Appeal, N11 million and N10 million for each of the justice of the appellate court.
For Chief Judge of Federal High Court, he proposed N10 million and. N8 million for the judges.

He proposed N10 million for the president of the National Industrial Court and N9 million for each of the judges of the same court.

Chief Judge of each State High Court, a minimum monthly salary of N8 million and N7 million for each judge of the same court.

N8 million for the Chief Judge of the FCT high court and N7 million for each judge of the same court.

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