Ben Ayade, the governor of Cross River State, has given his approval for a review of the benefits and wages of the state’s judicial officials.
Ayade made the new pay announcement at the Governor’s Office in Calabar’s Executive Chamber, on Tuesday, July 12.
Beginning on August 1, 2022, the judges of the state’s high court will receive a salary increase of 100% under the new compensation package.
Additionally, it was revealed that the wages of Magistrates would increase by 50% while those of Judges of the Customary Court of Appeal would increase by 100%.
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Similar to that, the governor has given all of the state’s judges immediate land allocation.
Ayade said;
As a matter of state government’s policy, any judicial officer sworn in will have his or her official car ready for delivery.
He approved new recruitment into the state’s judicial service, saying;
We have witnessed massive vacancy in the Ministry of Justice occasioned by retirement.
To this effect, we have approved for the Chief Judge with the support of the Head of Service and the Civil Service Commission, the employment of 500 workers in the Ministry of Justice for the first phase alone.
The Governor disclosed that his administration has authorised the setting aside of 25% of the gross emoluments to support the allowances for judicial officers’ travel, vacation, and other expenses.
He asserted that he had addressed the state judiciary’s immediate problems and promised to support that branch of the government.
Ayade said that his actions were in line with the findings of the State Judicial Welfare Review Committee, which he established in April.
Justice Eyo Effiong Ita, who served as chairman of the committee, while Timothy Ogbang Akwaji, the state’s chief of staff, served as secretary.
It was tasked with examining the pay for state court employees in Cross River.
The governor also lauded the state Chief Judge, Justice Akon Ikpeme, “for her diplomatic, studious and consistent push in achieving these goals.”
