The National Industrial Court in Abuja, has ordered the upward review of salaries of judicial officers in the country.
Delivering judgment, Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osagie held that the current salary structure of the Justices, Judges and Grand Khadis in the country were embarrassingly too low in view of the present harsh economic realities.
Justice Obaseki-Osagie also granted an order of mandatory injunction for the National Assembly and the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to ensure upward review and continue to ensure yearly or at most, two-years review of salaries of judicial officers.
Specifically, the court ordered that the Chief Justice of Nigerian shall earn a minimum of N10m monthly, while the justices of the Supreme court and the President of the Court of Appeal takes home the sum of N9m monthly.
The judge also ordered that all the Heads of Court, Justices of the Appeal Court and Grand Khadis shall earn N8m monthly, while judges of the Federal High Court, FCT, State High Courts and Khadis shall earn N7m.
Speaking with journalists, the counsel and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Sebastian Hon who filed the suit, urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami to implement the decision of the court.
The court therefore ordered the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants to pay N500,000 each, being judgement cost in favour of claimant.
COV/IFEOMA NWOVU