Members of the House of Representatives, yesterday, hailed the Federal Government for increasing the annual allocation of the judiciary from N70 billion to N100 billion.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on December 14, while presenting budget 2017 to both legislative chambers, announced the increase.
Some of the lawmakers who spoke to the media on the increase, however, demanded that judicial officers must justify the increase.
They argued that judgments should be speedily delivered and modern equipment with gadgets that will enhance their productivity be installed in courts….hmm…Okay o.
Chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, who represents Ukwa East/West in Abia State, said the increase will help combat corruption “in our legal system.”
He said: “The independence of the judiciary should grow with money. All the equipment and gadgets for the efficient delivery of judgments should be purchased and installed.
“It is a good sign and the increase should be strictly utilised in the overall development of our legal system. A judge is assured that after retirement, a timely gratuity and pension awaits him as this may not make him amass wealth.
“More judges should be appointed. Honestly, it is wrong for one judge to have more than 800 cases in one court in a year. Arbitration should be encouraged in commercial matters as this will increase economic activities as investors will have confidence in our legal system should there be any dispute.”
Nkem-Abonta also suggested that post service provisions should promptly be paid to civil servants, the police and the military.
Speaking in the same vein, Chairman, House Ad-hoc Committee on US/Nigeria Relations, Ehioziwa Agbonayinma, said the increase was a wonderful development provided the judiciary will grow from the use of outdated gadgets.
