Public outcry as judges’ struggle with unpaid salaries

The non-payment of salaries to federal judges has elicited public outcry from justice stakeholders who are concerned that the sector whose operations have come under immense scrutiny for the involvement of its members in corruption may fall deeper into this quarry

Speaking on this development, the Former Chair of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof Odinkalu said, “The judges of Nigeria’s Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, FCT High Court, Federal High Court, State High Courts, Customary Court of Appeal and Sharia Courts of Appeal have not been paid December 2016 salary and have been complaining. Some are now getting help from lawyers to enable them send their children back to school. In some states, the judges are also owed arrears of allowances for over 6 months.

“The same thing goes for staff of the judiciary in the federal courts, who have also not been paid December 2016 salary. This continues to be the practice, as they are usually not paid January and February salary till March.”

According to Odinkalu, this is bad for the kind of judiciary and justice system the country strives for.

Also speaking about the unhealthy nature of this recent development, deputy leader of the Senate, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, said: “I am aware that some judiciary workers, especially judges have not been paid for about four months. I do not think this is good. I felt it is important for me to bring it to the notice of the Senate. We need to find a way to resolve this issue.” He urged members to intervene and act swiftly to avoid future occurrences of this nature.

The Senate had on the same day made significant effort to investigate the delay in the payment of judges’ salary to ascertain why a government would allow such an action to take place.

Senate committees on Finance and Judiciary were mandated to (as a matter of urgency) investigate claims unpaid salaries and to ensure that the salary arrears were paid promptly.

The Committees, which have Senators John Enoh, PDP, Cross River Central and David Umaru, APC, Niger East as chairmen, are expected to report back to the Senate in week’s time for further legislative action.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu noted that the National Assembly placed the judiciary on first line charge in order to guide against cases like this, just as he mandated the two committees to intervene on behalf of the Senate, adding that the refusal to pay Judges was inimical to the success of the ongoing anti-corruption war. The Deputy President of the Senate said: “If it is true that judges have not been paid for four months, then it is very worrisome.

THEODORA KIO-LAWSON