SERAP seeks more pay for judges

By Adebisi Onanuga

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Chairman, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) Elias Mbam, to review upward the remuneration, allowances, and conditions of service for judges to address their poor treatment.

The organisation, on the other hand, urged the RMAFC to review downward the remuneration and allowances of high-ranking political office-holders in the country.

SERAP urged the RMAFC to separate the review of remuneration and salaries for judges from that of political office-holders to ensure fairness so that they can receive the justice they so conscientiously dispense to others.

It also urged the RMAFC Chairman to send details of the reviewed remuneration structure and recommendations to the National Assembly for appropriate remedial and legislative action, as provided for by the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended).

The request  followed the on-going nationwide industrial action by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to press home their demand for financial autonomy for the judicial arm of government, and the Federal Government’s silence on the judiciary workers’ strike that has grounded courts across the country.

Read Also: SERAP urges Fed Govt to give details of N729b payments to 24.3m Nigerians

In the letter sent to the RMAFC Chairman on Saturday and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Judges should get all to which they are reasonably entitled, and it is unfair, illegal, unconstitutional, and discriminatory to continue to treat judges as ‘second-class people’ while high-ranking political office-holders enjoy lavish salaries and allowances.”

The letter was copied to Dr. Ahmad Lawan, Senate President; Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of House of Representatives; Mr. Ekpo Nta, Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the National Judicial Council (NJC).

SERAP expressed concern that the remuneration and allowances of judges have fallen substantially behind the average salaries and allowances of political office-holders such as President, Vice-President, governors and their deputies, as well as members of the National Assembly.

It said: “Nigerian judges are among the least paid in the world. The poor treatment of judges is neither fair to them nor to the Nigerian people. Judges deserve remuneration, allowances, and conditions of service commensurate with their judicial powers and responsibilities.

“While the remuneration and allowances of judges are grossly insufficient to enable them to maintain themselves and their families in reasonable comfort, high-ranking political office-holders continue to enjoy lavish allowances, including life pensions, and access to security votes, which they have powers to spend as they wish.”