The Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has said that judges and other judicial officers across the country will soon be getting good pay and welfare packages.
Malami made this known in a speech made available to newsmen while inaugurating the remodeled Sokoto State High Court of Justice Complex on Monday.
He said the Presidential mandate given as regards the welfare of judicial officers resulted in the setting up of the Committee on the Review of Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service.
“I assure this noble gathering that the efforts of the committee will soon materialise for the good of our dear judicial officers and our country.
“As you all know, to sustain democracy through effective administration of Justice, Judges as the defenders of social justice and Lords of our judicial realm, as well as other judicial staff, must be adequately taken care of.
“This of course is by way of enhanced emoluments and welfare packages, to enable them dispense justice at all times without fear or favour, in an independent manner’’.
The minister reminded the Sokoto State Judiciary that they owe the good people of the state the sacred duty to remain impartial, unbiased and resilient in all their judicial dealings and in upholding the cause of justice at all times.
“This remodeled court complex will certainly add momentum and vigour to the strength and will of doing justice in a most convenient environment.
“It is our concomitant wish that in this Temple of Justice, truth and righteousness shall prevail, that justice be done between man and man and dispensed without fear, or favour, and that freedom and the rights of man be maintained and defended.
“I am therefore optimistic that with an ultramodern court complex like this, furnished with state-of-the-art equipment, the business of the judiciary in Sokoto in dispensing justice has been given a boost”.
He added that the emergence of the current Executive Order 10 is the birth of jurisprudential value that guards against manifest violation of constitutional sacred provisions that guaranty independence of the judiciary and financial autonomy of the legislature as well as the judiciary in all forms of Nigerian government.
“As the Judiciary remains a strong catalyst to our modern day democracy, great efforts towards the protection of our democratic principles become the bedrocks for sustainable democracy.
“I look forward with passion to an independent and autonomous Sokoto State Judiciary for a greater attainment of democratic principles, and for effective and efficient administration of justice in Sokoto State, and in Nigeria at large”, he said. (NAN)
