An Industrial High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the review of salaries of judges in Nigeria in the midst of a worsening economic crisis. In a dramatic twist last month, one Sebastian Hon approached the industrial court demanding the upwards review of Justices' salaries saying the inflation was biting hard. Accordingly, the National Assembly and the National Judicial Commission made a frantic effort to settle out of court but was proved abortive. In the suit filed before the labour court, the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, were joined as the defendants.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Adegboyega Awomolo, in his final address posited that the federal government has not reviewed Judge's Salaries since the year 2008.
While delivering the judgement today, the presiding Judge, Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae explained that Judge's Salaries have stagnated for fourteen years (14yrs) and therefore deserve a review.
The Judge held that despite the work judges are rendering to the country judges have been living like ordinary Nigerians in abject poverty owing to the low salary income describing it as an embarrassment.
In her statement, the Judge said, “There is no doubt that from the evidence adduced before this court that salaries payable to judges as well as their conditions of service, has been greatly altered to their disadvantage,”.
The presiding judge lamented “Judicial officers are daily impoverished by the devaluation of the naira.
“They have suffered financial hardship and embarrassment owing to their poor pay. It is a shame to the country.
“In spite of this, our judges have continued to carry out their statutory duties.
“Justices are themselves victims of a great injustice. What an irony.”
Delivering the Judgement she ordered that the federal government commence a monthly payment of N10 million to the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) while that of the president of the court of appeal was raised to N9 million.
Supreme court justices N9 million; court of appeal justices, chief judges, president of the industrial court, grand khadis and president of customary courts are now to earn N8 million while other judges’ salary was raised to N7 million.
The court also directed that the judgement should be served to the RMAFC and the AGF office.
Meanwhile, she also ordered the award of an N1.5 million Naira fine against the RMAFC, the AGF and the National Assembly.
