Senate passes bill for judicial officers’ pay rise

The Senate on Thursday passed a bill for an act to upwardly review the salaries, allowances and other fringe benefits of judicial officers in the country.

The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration and debate on the bill titled, “A bill for an act to prescribe the salaries, allowances and fringe benefits of judicial office holders in Nigeria and for related matters (2024).”

The House of Representatives on March 20, passed the bill, which provides a monthly package of N5.39 million for the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The executive bill also provides a total package of N4.21 million for Justices of the Supreme Court, while the President of the Court of Appeal is to earn a total monthly package of N4. 48 million.

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Making his inputs on the bill during plenary on Thursday, the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau I. Jibrin, said, “Mr. President, by the nature of the judicial officers, they don’t agitate. They cry in silence, and they don’t speak out. Other workers agitate, they stage protests. But the judiciary doesn’t talk; they cry in silence.

“Now, the president of the country has spoken for them. What he did is something laudable and we are applauding him here. Because a country that didn’t take its judiciary in a very important passion is doomed. And when you want to take the judiciary seriously, you have to take the remuneration of the judiciary staff seriously.”

Similarly, Senator Abba Morro (Benue South) and many other senators supported the bill.

But Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) however, said the idea of fixing wages is not good enough considering the economic forces of inflation and exchange rates in the country.

After passing the bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred it to the Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters to turn in its report to the Committee of the whole in four weeks.