Fulfill pledge on financial autonomy for judiciary, Sokoto govt urged

Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Sokoto chapter Wednesday urged the state government to fulfill its pledge to give full financial autonomy to the judiciary arm of government. "The judiciary in Sokoto state, like in other states of the federation, needs financial autonomy in order to operate more effectively and efficiently. The state government convincingly […]

Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Sokoto chapter Wednesday urged the state government to fulfill its pledge to give full financial autonomy to the judiciary arm of government.

"The judiciary in Sokoto state, like in other states of the federation, needs financial autonomy in order to operate more effectively and efficiently. The state government convincingly told the people of the state that autonomy had been granted the judiciary but till date, nothing of sort is there," Chairman JUSUN, Sokoto  Abdulnasir Muhammad stated.

He recalled that since October 2016, when the state  Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Suleiman Usman disclosed the grant of financial autonomy to the judiciary in the state, it was yet to enjoy the autonomy.

"Apart from the normal N15 million monthly allocations each to the High Court and Sharia Court of Appeal that have subsisted since the immediate past administration, the state judiciary was yet to enjoy any financial autonomy as proclaimed and in spite of the government’s statement that the judiciary will no longer go cap in hand begging for money when we want to work, has not come to fruition. The judiciary is still working under difficult financial atmosphere," he said.

The JUSUN chairman asserted, “It is our belief that with our dear Governor being a lawyer, the state he governs should be one of those frontline states that should have autonomous judiciary."

He also pointed out that the judiciary in the state was under-staffed, adding that  judiciary needs additional staff and enhanced salary for the staff.

According to him,  the High Court has a total of 180 staff; the Sharia Court of Appeal, 367 staff and Judicial Service Commission (JSC), 36 staff. 

It would be recalled that the Commissioner for Justice had stated during ministerial press briefing at the NUJ press Centre, Sokoto that:“In order to ensure compliance with the constitutional provisions contained in sections 81(3), 121(3), 121(9), and 162(9) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the governor of Sokoto state, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has graciously approved the payment of budgetary allocations consisting of salaries, overheads and capital votes meant for the judiciary to the Heads of Courts in the state.

He had added:"With this development, the state judiciary is now financially autonomous as budgetary allocations consisting of overhead, personnel cost and capital projects will be paid to the Chief Judge and Grand Khadi.”