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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that the degenerated welfare and working conditions of the nation’s judiciary are serious and would be treated as such.
He also promised to act quickly on the report of the committee set up in 2018 to review the welfare and working conditions of judiciary officials.
A statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, quoted Buhari as stating this, yesterday, at the State House, during a visit by the chairman and representatives of the Body of Benchers.
The president said a democratic government like the one he leads, “standing on a tripod comprising the executive, legislature and judiciary, cannot stand where one of its three pillars, the judiciary is not properly nurtured, maintained and sustained to deliver on its very pivotal constitutional duties.”
He also cautioned on the dire state of the country’s economy “currently battling insecurity, corruption and economic challenges,” aggravated by the COVID-19 and the war in
On the report of the committee to review the welfare and working conditions of the judiciary, Buhari said: “Let me assure you that the issues would be given due and urgent attention within the resources available to government.”
Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Wale Olanipekun (SAN) described the condition under which judges, especially justices of the Supreme Court work, as pathetic, appalling and below the minimum standards.
“We want to plead with you. We need to bail out the judiciary. The situation is bad. Let us sympathise with the judiciary. I know you to have respect, feelings for the judiciary. You have sympathy, empathy and consideration. The Body of Benchers as elders of the legal profession makes these recommendations to Your Excellency, with a plea that they should be attended to urgently,” he said.
