By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
PRESIDENT BOLA Tinubu has signed into law a bill that significantly raises the salaries and allowances of judicial officers across Nigeria.
The bill, passed by the National Assembly in June, mandates a 300% increase in compensation for federal and state-level judicial staff.
Senator Basheer Lado, the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, announced this development on Tuesday in Abuja.
He emphasized that the new law reflects the President’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers, particularly those in the judiciary.
The legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Prescribe the Salaries, Allowances, and Fringe Benefits of Judicial Office Holders in Nigeria,” was initially proposed by President Tinubu as part of his broader efforts to enhance the living conditions of public servants.
The law updates the previous provisions under the Certain Political, Public, and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Act, No.6, 2002, by specifically deleting outdated provisions related to judicial officers.
Lado praised the President’s actions, highlighting that this decision is a continuation of Tinubu’s dedication to improving the financial well-being of Nigeria’s workforce.
He noted that the move is consistent with Tinubu’s earlier actions, such as the recent approval of a new National Minimum Wage Bill of N70,000.
The bill’s passage marks a significant shift in how judicial officers are compensated. For instance, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will now receive an annual salary of N64 million, while the President of the Court of Appeal will earn N62.4 million.
Justices of the Supreme Court will each receive N61.4 million, and heads of various other courts will earn an annual basic salary of N7.9 million.
Lado also commended the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abass Tajudeen, and members of the 10th National Assembly for their commitment to improving the welfare of Nigerians through the passage of this bill.
He urged judicial officers to uphold justice efficiently, recognizing the President’s efforts to enhance their welfare.
The law is seen as a major achievement in President Tinubu’s administration, signaling his determination to ensure that those who serve the nation are adequately compensated.
The judiciary, often referred to as the last hope of the common man, is expected to deliver justice more effectively with the improved welfare of its officers.
Some set of workers can enjoy up to 300% salary increase without any negotiations, while to get a hundred percent increase for the more impoverished ones took years of negotiation.
Besides when it’s the judicial workers who enjoy such preferential treatment, what does it portend for justice? They too are more likely to prefer the government and its officials in matters of justice. Just saying.