The House of Representatives has passed a bill outlining new salaries and allowances for judicial officers in the country. Under the new structure, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) would receive a monthly salary of N5.4 million, totalling over N64.5 million annually, along with other benefits.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu sent a letter along with the bill to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, urging quick passage of the legislation to address the long-standing issue of stagnant remuneration for judicial officers.
“The judicial office holders salaries and allowances bill seeks to prescribe salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits for judicial officials to end the prolonged stagnation in their remuneration and to reflect contemporary socio-economic realities,” Tinubu said in the letter.
The bill passed through the Third Reading in the lower chamber on Wednesday.
Details of the proposed salary structure revealed that the Chief Justice of Nigeria will receive an annual basic salary of N13.4m or N1.1 monthly. He is entitled to N51.1m annual or N4.2m monthly regular allowances.
He is also entitled to non-regular allowances, including N6.7m leave allowance; N142,500 Duty Tour Allowance (per night); $2,000 estacode (per night); N80.7m severance gratuity (after successful completion of tenure) and N53.8m as motor vehicle loan (to be repaid before expiration of tenure).
Under the proposed bill, other Supreme Court justices and appellate court judges will receive revised salaries and allowances, with similar structures for regular and non-regular allowances.
Additionally, the bill stipulated that the National Judicial Council (NJC) would cover the expenses of Professional Development Assistants while utilities and security would be provided for judicial officers.
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