Tinubu sends bill seeking new salaries, allowances for judicial officers to senate

President Bola Tinubu has sent a bill to the senate proposing a new structure of salaries and allowances for judicial officers in the country.

At the plenary on Wednesday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio read a letter from the president, seeking approval for the bill.

In the letter, the president said the bill seeks to end the “prolonged stagnation” of the remuneration of judicial officers, adding that it will improve their welfare.

“Transmission of judicial office holders’ salaries and allowances bill, 2024. In accordance with the provisions of section 58, sub-section two of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended,” Tinubu said in a letter read by Akpabio.

“I forward herein, the judicial office holders, salaries and allowances bill, 2024, for the kind consideration of the senate.

“The judicial office holders salaries and allowances bill seeks to prescribe salaries and allowances and fringe benefits for judicial officials to end the prolonged stagnation in their remuneration and to reflect contemporary socio-economic realities.

“While I hope that the judicial office holders salaries and allowances bill 2024 will be carefully, yet expeditiously considered and passed by the senate.”

On Tuesday, the bill was read on the floor of the house of representatives.

The bill has passed the third reading at the lower chamber.

In August 2023, Tinubu said his administration would review the remuneration of judicial officers as part of efforts to fight corruption in the judiciary.

Tinubu made the promise when he received the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) led by Yakubu Maikyau, president of the association , at the presidential villa.