NBA demands ‘urgent’ review of judicial officers’ remuneration

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for an “urgent review” of the remuneration of judicial officers in the country.

Yakubu Maikyau, NBA president, spoke on Saturday while reading a communique drafted by the association at the end of its annual conference in Abuja.

“The importance of a strong, independent judiciary was emphasised. Conference affirmed the need for an urgent upward review of judicial remuneration,” Maikyau said.

“Conference recommends the separation of judicial remuneration from public sector including the removal of the remuneration of judicial officers from the purview of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

“Conference also recommended an independent salary scale for judicial officers. Conference recommends that urgent attention be paid to the plight of magistrates and other lower court judges.”

The NBA asked federal and state governments to extend financial support to pro bono schemes to bolster their effectiveness and narrow the gap in access to justice.

ECONOMIC, SECURITY INTERVENTION

The association also asked the federal and state governments to invest in the security, economy and judicial sector of the country.

Maikyau said the resolve to task governments on security, economy and judicial reform was borne out of the NBA’s concern over continuous acts of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other forms of insecurity in the country.

The NBA president said there is a need for synergy between all security agencies to address the challenges in the country.

“The country needs long-term economic decisions to sustain the economy. The federal and state governments need to improve the security situation, youth employment and funding of youths toward acquiring knowledge on artificial intelligence,” Maikyau said.

“Conference urged citizens to actively contribute to combating insecurity by being vigilant and speaking up. It called upon the legal community to explore ways of enhancing Nigeria’s access to finance to support the fight against insecurity.

“Conference identified the need for greater investment in the military including providing support for civil-military coordination framework as well as a comprehensive endowment framework for critical military facilities and equipment.

“Overall, the conference underscored the need for comprehensive, multi-faceted efforts to address the nation’s challenges.”

The NBA also resolved that the legal profession as a whole must remain unwavering in the pursuit of justice and effective governance.