CJN to earn N120m annually as court reviews salaries of judicial officers
The National Industrial Court (NIC), sitting in Abuja, has issued an order for the upward review of the salaries of judicial officers in the country.
The order followed a suit filed by Sebastian Hon, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), seeking a review of the salaries of judges and other judicial officers.
In a judgement delivered on Friday, Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osagie, held that judges in the country have the right to have their salaries reviewed upwards, periodically.
She added that the NIC, being the court that determines labour and employment-related matters, has the constitutional power to compel the Nigerian Government through its agencies, to upwardly review the remuneration of judicial officers.
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Consequently, the court, made an order, to increase the salary of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to N10 million, while that of justices of the Supreme Court and President of the Court of Appeal was increased to N9 million.
The court also issued an order increasing the salaries of Court of Appeal Justices, Chief Judges, President of the Industrial Court, Grand Khadis and President of Customary Courts to N8 million, even as it ordered the Nigerian Government to forthwith, pay N7 million to other judges, monthly.
It directed that the order be served on the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The Court equally awarded N1.5 million cost against RMAFC, the AGF and the National Assembly, who were all cited as Defendants in the matter.
Justice Obaseki-Osagie noted that salaries of judges and justices have stagnated for over 14 years, despite the increased workload on judicial officers.
“There is no doubt that from evidence adduced before this court that salaries payable to judges, as well as their conditions of service, have 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. In spite of this, our judges have continued to carry out their statutory duties. Justices are themselves victims of a great injustice. What an irony”, Justice Obaseki-Osagie added.