The Nigerian Senate approved a proposal on Thursday to raise the salaries and allowances of judges at all levels for a second reading.
The bill was taken into account after a main discussion by Deputy Majority Leader, Lola Ashiru.
Ashiru, who represents Kwara South Senatorial District, stated that the proposed law from the executive will improve the credibility of the judicial branch of government.
During the discussion, Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) mentioned that increasing judges' pay would distract them from engaging in corruption.
“There is a necessity to enhance the compensation of judicial officers, which has remained unchanged for a long time. This will protect judges from corruption and empower them to deliver fair and just judgments,” Monguno stated.
During his remarks, Orji Kalu (APC, Abia North) expressed support for increasing the salaries of judges.
“No sensible Nigerian would agree that it is acceptable to leave the judiciary in discomfort. I want to appreciate the executive for considering it appropriate to raise the salaries of judges at all levels. We should not only focus on the judiciary, but also consider other sectors of the economy,” he stated.
Additionally, Emmanuel Udende (APC, Benue North-East) mentioned that judges have not been able to achieve much in recent years due to low pay.
“For the past 15 years, judicial officers have been receiving low salaries. When you interact with them as a lawyer, you can see that their morale is low, and when morale is low, their work becomes difficult,” he stated.