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The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, passed a bill that was sent to it by President Bola Tinubu for the upward review of salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits for judicial officers nationwide for the third reading.
Based on the provisions of the bill, judges are to get over 800 per cent pay rise, as the Chief Justice of Nigeria is to earn N64.6m annual basic salary and allowances, far higher than what obtains currently.
Other justices of the Supreme Court are to earn annual basic salaries and regular allowances of over N60m annually.
The development received the backing of various Senior Advocates of Nigeria, as they insisted that well-remunerated judicial officers would be less susceptible to corruption.
The bill seeks to amend Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act, No. 6, 2002 (as amended) by deleting Section 2(b), Part II of the Schedule to the Act and any other provisions relating to judicial office holders.
When signed into law by the President, the legislation will take effect from January 1, 2024.
Part I of the schedule revealed that the Chief Justice of Nigeria is entitled to N64.6m annual regular allowances and salary, which translates to N5.38m monthly.
The CJN, by the provisions of the bill, is also entitled to N13.46m annual basic salary, representing N1.12m monthly, and is to get non-regular allowances of N6.73m as leave allowance (when applicable); N142,500 Duty Tour Allowance (per night); and $2,000 estacode (per night).
The CJN is also entitled to N80.78m severance gratuity (after successful completion of tenure) and N53.85m as a motor vehicle loan (to be repaid before expiration of tenure), while the Professional Development Assistant is to be paid from the NJC pool.
Other justices of the Supreme Court, based on the provisions of the bills, are each entitled to N60.47m annual regular allowances and basic salaries which translates to N5.03mm monthly.
They are to earn N9.91m annual basic salary, representing N826,116.19 monthly.
The bill further shows that each of them is also entitled to non-regular allowances of N9.91m rent (annually); N4.96m leave allowance (when applicable); N100,000 Duty Tour Allowance (per night); and $1,300 estacode (per night).
They are to get N29.74m severance gratuity (after successful completion of tenure), N29.74m furniture allowance, and N39.65m as motor vehicle loan (to be repaid before expiration of tenure), while Professional Development Assistant is to be paid from the NJC pool.
