‘It is unfortunate’: Lawyer compares Nigerian judges salary with their counterparts in U.S.

 

 

 

At an event organized by the National Association of Judicial Correspondents (NAJUC) on Thursday in Lagos, some shocking revelations were made about the remuneration of Nigerian judges.

 

Lead Speaker at the event held at MUSON Centre, Lagos, was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Abiodun Olatunji, who spoke on the theme, ‘Birthing a New Nigeria: Role of the Judiciary, Security Agencies and the Media in a Democratic Society.’

 

In making his point on how the judiciary arm of the government can be strengthened, the learned silk raised some of the obstacles, one of which is the salary of judges.

 

He said salaries of Nigerian judges at the Federal and State Levels have remained static for almost two decades, pointing out that the last time salaries of judges were reviewed in the country was in 2008.

 

He recalled how 14 Justices of the Supreme Court in June 2022 to jointly sign a letter protesting their poor welfare and other issues negatively affecting them.

 

He said though the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) recommended a 114 per cent upward review of political, public and judicial office holders’ salaries, the proposal might get stuck because it has to go through a lot of bureaucracy. First, the President and Cabinet Ministers will have to approve, then taken to the National Assembly thorough an executive bill for passage, debated in the various chambers before passage.

 

Olatunji said the United States, in contrast, upwardly reviews the salary of its judges annually.

 

He said: ‘It is noteworthy to state that in the United States of America, there has been an upward review each year, for the past ten years of the earnings of Federal Judges of the United State Courts. It is also worthy of mention that the earnings of federal judges of the United States are made available on its website.”

 

Olatunji said a district judge in the United States earns $232,600 (N181m), compared to what they used to earn in 2014, which was $199,000 (N155m).

 

In contrast, Nigerian judges have seen their salary static for more than 15 years despite the corrosive inflation.

 

A retired judge, Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo, contextualize the situation of Nigerian judges when he stated that his total pension as a retired justice is below N500,000, an amount inadequate to meet his needs in the face of a high and alarming inflation.

 

Justice Taiwo said: “Federal judges are badly treated after retirement, compared to state judges. Lagos State has tried for retired judges. Lagos gives retired judges allowances for life, buys them cars, sends those gifts as if they are still in service. But Federal judges are stripped of all their allowances. My take home every month is less than N500, 000.”