AGF Fagbemi, RMAFC, Others Back Tinubu’s Proposed 300% Increase of Judges’ Salary, Allowance
- The minister of justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has explained why there is a need for the 300% salary and allowance increase for judicial officers in Nigeria
- The minister told the Senate that the current economic hardship had made the remuneration of judicial officers a child’s play
- The finance minister, Wale Edun, said he couldn’t agree less with the presentations made by the AGF and other key stakeholders
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
On Monday, May 20, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the minister of justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's proposed 300% increment in the salaries and allowances of judicial office holders in the country.
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As reported by The Nation, the National Judicial Council (NJC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC), among others, also endorsed the proposal.
The proposal is contained in the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances) Bill, 2024, which is before the Senate.
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Why judges' salaries should be increased
During a one-day public hearing organised by the Senate committee on judiciary matters, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC – Borno North) Fagbemi noted the historical challenges in improving judicial remuneration, The Guardian reported.
In a lead defence to back the bill, Fagbemi told the session that for nearly 17 years, judicial officers had remained on the same salaries and allowances, describing the stagnation as unacceptable and a hindrance to meaningful judicial reform.
He said:
“I wish to remark that the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Bill 2024 is quite innovative, aside from the increment in the basic salary, it also took cognizance of certain peculiarities of the administrative structure and operation of the judiciary.
“This Bill will birth an appropriate and commensurate remuneration that will ensure judicial independence and integrity.”
Several of the stakeholders, including the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Wale Edun, simply adopted Fagbemi's position, which they said adequately captured the issues.
Tinubu takes steps to increase judiciary salaries
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Tinubu made a significant move to increase the salaries of judicial workers. He sent a bill to amend the salaries of judicial workers to the House of Representatives for consideration.
This was disclosed in a letter from Tinubu to the Green Chamber read by the speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, during plenary on Tuesday, March 19.
The bill is titled: "A Bill for an Act to prescribe the salaries, allowances and fringe benefits of judicial office holders in Nigeria and for related matters".
Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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