Court orders FG to pay N10m monthly salaries to CJN, N9m to other Supreme Court justices

Judicial officers in the country may now have reasons to smile as the National Industrial Court on Friday ordered the Federal Government to commence the process for the immediate review of their salaries and allowances.

Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, who issued the order, held that the current salaries and allowances of judicial officers in the country are not only “abysmally low but embarrassing”.

Delivering judgment in a suit instituted against the Federal Government by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Sebastine Hon, Justice Obaseki-Osaghae ordered the Federal Government to commence a monthly payment of N10 million to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) while other justices of the Apex Court should receive N9 million.

Justice Obaseki-Osaghae also urged the government to pay President of the Court of Appeal, N9 million while other justices of the appellate court will get N8 million, Chief Judges of both Federal and States HIgh Courts N8 million while judges of the federal and states hIgh courts N7 million as monthly salaries.

The judge held that the alleged delay by the government to review the judicial officers’ salaries and allowances for 14 years was “unconstitutional, unlawful and should be compelled to do the needful.”

Obaseki-Osaghae also urged the Federal Government to direct the National Salaries and Wages Commission to commence the process for the upward review of  salaries of the judicial officers.

The judge, however, lamented that it is “unfortunate that justices and judges who are ministers in the temple of Justice have become victims of injustice in the country”.

Persecondnews recalls that justices of the Supreme Court had in June accused the retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Mohammed of not addressing their welfare in a petition written to the NJC but leaked to the media.

The alleged poor salaries and allowances of judicial officers however generated negative reactions from stakeholders and analysts with many calling for upward review of the renumeration of the judicial officers.