Prominent constitutional lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, has called on President Bola Tinubu to align the salaries of judges in Nigeria with that of senators. In a statement released on Monday, Ajulo highlighted the disparity in remuneration between the judiciary and the other branches of government, despite the critical nature of their work.
Ajulo emphasized the need to address judges’ social and welfare security, including fair and improved salaries and emoluments. He pointed out a 2022 judgment by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which advocated for a significant increment in the salaries of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and other judges.
Expressing his concern, Ajulo stressed that judges’ salaries have remained stagnant since 2008, warranting immediate action. He underscored the crucial role played by the judiciary in upholding democracy and serving as the voice of the common man. Despite shouldering the burden of political irregularities and providing justice for politicians, judges’ current wages do not reflect the significance of their work.
Comparing the number of federal judicial officers (less than 300) to the abundance of politicians in the national assembly (over 400), Ajulo emphasized the need for judges to receive salaries commensurate with their indispensable role.
It is worth noting that Nigerian judges’ salaries have remained unchanged since 2008, with annual earnings of approximately N4 million, significantly lower than their counterparts in other countries.
(NAN)