Judges Welfare, My Top Priority – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has assured judges that their welfare remains the top priority of his administration.

President Tinubu praised the Supreme Court for consistently sustaining good governance and the tenets of democracy in Nigeria, citing the recent verdict of the highest court in the land which granted financial autonomy to the local government councils.

The President said the ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments would spur developments at the grassroots. He added that he hoped for more of such strategic and reform-oriented legal interventions from the judiciary.

President Tinubu stated this on Sunday at the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, in Lagos.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu said his administration relied on the NBA to provide legal compass for the government.

He outlined efforts being made by his administration in reforming the judiciary including signing the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances) Act 2024, leading to a 300% increase in the remuneration of our judicial officers, and putting in place the full complement of Justices of the Supreme Court.

Shettima said, “I want to assure the Learned members of the Bench and the Bar that this government will continue to accord top priority to the welfare of the judiciary to ease avoidable burden on their Lordships and speed up the adjudicatory process which is a sine qua non for social order and economic development.

“It is, therefore, my fervent expectation that the NBA would provide the appropriate legal compass for all persons, government, and businesses towards rebuilding our dear nation.”

He added that the government “is also working on the construction of a permanent and befitting edifice for the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.

“Furthermore, provisions are being made to provide conducive accommodation for federal judicial officers within the Federal Capital Territory. All these are part of measures to boost the independence, welfare, and capacity of the judiciary.

On his part, NBA president, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) said Nigeria lawyers would continue to serve justice to the citizens.

“The bar is represented primarily by the need to serve justice to the people. Our existence as a people is intricately connected to our responsibility as the defenders of the people,” Maikyau said.

Mr. Maikyau urged lawyers to ensure that they discharged their duties to the people of Nigeria with determination like the resilience of an eagle and eschew corruption at all levels.