A significant reform in the salary and allowances structure for judicial officers across the nation has achieved a crucial milestone as it passed the third reading at the House of Representatives.
President Bola Tinubu spearheaded this initiative by submitting a letter, alongside an executive bill, to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, emphasizing the importance of promptly enacting the proposed legislation.
In his correspondence, President Tinubu underscored the bill’s primary objective: to put an end to the prolonged stagnation in the remuneration of judicial officers. He emphasized that the proposed “Judicial Office Holders Salaries and Allowances Bill” aims to modernize compensation packages to align with current socio-economic realities.
Following deliberations, the lower legislative chamber swiftly approved the bill after the third reading on Wednesday.
A detailed breakdown of the bill, as revealed by TheCable, outlines significant adjustments in the remuneration structure. Notably, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) is slated to receive a monthly salary of N5.4 million, totaling N64.8 million annually. This comprises a monthly basic salary of N1.1 million, augmented by N4.3 million in regular allowances.
The comprehensive remuneration package encompasses diverse components, including personal assistant allowance, hardship allowance, entertainment allowance, utility allowance, outfit allowance, journal subscription allowance, medical allowance, long service allowance, restricted or forced lifestyle allowance, dual responsibility allowance, and legal researchers’ allowance.
Furthermore, the bill proposes an annual allocation of N61.4 million for Justices of the Supreme Court, reflecting a concerted effort to ensure equitable compensation within the judiciary.