The under-funding issues which have dogged the apex court of the country, which justices lamented over and which may have fast-tracked the departure of former Chief Justice Tanko Muhammad following a petition by his colleagues, are still unresolved, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has told the Senate.<\/p>\n
The new CJN made the disclosure while fielding questions from lawmakers at his confirmation hearing. He was confirmed on Wednesday by the Senators.<\/p>\n
Responding to comments by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, on the petition written to Justice Mohammed Tanko by 15 other Justices of the Su\u00adpreme Court in June, 2022,\u00a0 the new CJN said<\/p>\n
the leakage of the memo written by himself and others was an embarrassment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe, the Justices, were embarrassed when we read con\u00adtent of our memo in the papers. It was never intended to be for public consumption since the motive behind the memo was not to fight or bring down anybody.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the hand written memo was signed by all the Jus\u00adtices, we didn\u2019t allow anybody to see it. Making its leakage to the media was a miracle to us.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of the issues raised in the memo are still not attended to. This is due to the situation of lack of fund and poor funding of the Supreme Court in particular and the Judiciary generally,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Recall that shortly before Muhammad’s departure from the highest judicial office, he had replied to the memo written by his fellow Justices, accusing him of depriving them of good working conditions. He admitted that the economic crunch in the country was responsible for the court\u2019s inability to meet all the demands made by his fellow justices.<\/p>\n
Everyday.ng reports that Muhammad admitted that the Supreme Court, like any other establishment in the country, has been hit by a devastating economic crunch.<\/p>\n
As a result of this, the CJN said that the leadership of the court, under him, could no longer meet some of its obligations to justices, especially in the area of welfare.<\/p>\n
He, however, said that the memo sent to him by the aggrieved Justices notwithstanding, there was no rift between him on one side and Justices of the court on the other side.<\/p>\n
A statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Strategy and entitled \u201cState Of Affairs In The Supreme Court And Demand By Justices Of The Supreme Court\u201d reads in part \u201cThe Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammad would wish to confirm receipt of letter written and addressed to him by his brother Justices of the Supreme Court Bench.<\/p>\n
\u201cJudges in all climes are to be seen and not heard, and that informed why the CJN refrained from joining issues until a letter, said to be personal, is spreading across the length and breadth of the society.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was akin to dancing naked at the market square by us with the ripple effect of the said letter<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Supreme Court definitely does not exist outside its environment, it is also affected by the economic and socio-political climate prevailing in the country. Besides that, the Apex Court has to a larger extent, been living to its constitutional responsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen a budget is made, it contains two sides, that\u2019s the recurrent and the capital, yet all the two are broken down into items. The Federal Government releases the budget based on the budget components. And it\u2019s an offence to spend the money meant for one item for another.<\/p>\n
\u201cTake for instance, the Supreme Court budgeted this year to re-roof and rehabilitate its complex built over 30 years\u00a0 ago and that is being done.<\/p>\n
\u201dThe work on the extension of the complex is near completion, the esthetic lawns and cleanness of the perimeters are being well kept, and security and water supply are adequately provided for his brother Justices in their offices and residences.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the period of pandemic, a profound and extra-care was maintained to avoid causalities among them as well as the staff generally. It would have amounted to an act of irresponsibility to divert money meant for the above for otherwise.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe accusation so far, in summary is that more or all ought to have been done and not that nothing has been done; which is utopian in the contemporary condition of our country.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore eight new Justices were appointed in 2020 onto the Apex Court bench, there was no additional budget to provide new chambers with equipped library, legal assistance, residential accommodations and logistics for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Apex Court has to make do with the resources at its disposal to meet their needs over time. All the Justices of this Court has at least a legal Assistant, except some may opt for more.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the CJN\u2019s legal Assistants (now Justice Aina) was appointed to Abuja FCT High Court last month, while another (Barr Ramatu) died three months back. Generally the Judiciary is looking up to recruitment of more legal assistance and other supporting staff this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cBesides, two Supreme Court Justices died within the period under consideration. Both the four retirees and the two departed cost the court some funds in the forms of gratuities and allowances.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo weeks ago, eight Supreme Court Justices were nominated for a workshop in London as the court cannot take all of them there at once otherwise the job would suffer. They would be going in batches.<\/p>\n
\u201cAccommodations are being gradually provided for the few that are yet to get. There is none of the Apex Court Justices without SUV and back up cars. If any of them were purchased but refurbished, the external and internal auditors are here in the court to take those that bought them up over it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe high cost of electricity tariff and diesel are national problem. The Chief Registrar might have budgeted for N300 per litre but diesel is now selling for over N700 per litre and therefore has to find a way around it without even bringing it to the attention of the CJN. But there is no way the generator would be put off if the Court is sitting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe amendment of court rules is on the process, it has to be critically reviewed to avoid conflict with the constitution and other extant laws. Not all the CJN has reviewed the rules in the past. Within the three years his brother Justices mentioned came the pandemic and the judiciary workers\u2019 strike.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe internet services have been restored to Justices\u2019 residences and chambers, just as some allowances have been paid to them. The CJN held a meeting with his brother Justices last Thursday and another one is due to hold this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe general public should be rest assured that there\u2019s no hostility or adverse feelings amongst the Justices of the Supreme Court, as everyone is going about his normal duty.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the memo by the aggrieved justices, they lamented issues having to do with vehicles, electricity tariff, supply of diesel, Internet services to their residences and chambers, and epileptic electricity supply to the court.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the Justices meeting, we intimated your Lordship that some Justices sworn on the 6th day of November 2020 were yet to be accommodated by the Court.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour Lordship promised to take up the issue that day. To date, Your Lordship has not taken any step in this direction,\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n
On the issue of overseas training, the justices accused Muhammad of gallivanting with his \u201cspouse, children and personal staff,\u201d while depriving the rest of the judges of the Supreme Court of such.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe DEMAND to know what has become of our training funds, have they been diverted, or is it a plain denial?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c(Since) your Lordship\u2019s assumption of office, Justices only attended two workshops in Dubai and Zanzibar. They were not accorded the privilege of travelling with accompanying persons as was the practice,” they added.<\/p>\n
The jurists noted that despite improved budgetary allocation to the judiciary, \u201cwe find it strange that despite the upward review of our budgetary allocation, the court cannot cater for our legitimate entitlements. This is unacceptable!\u201d<\/p>\n
In a report by Premium Times, the justices decried the lack of legal research assistants, despite the magnitude of cases being adjudicated.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are confronted with various complex legal issues of national significance with the addition of time-bound matters coming in between our regular Court sittings. We require qualified legal assistants in order to offer our best. This demand has not been accorded any attention by the Honourable Chief Justice.\u201d<\/p>\n
They pointed out that \u201chealthcare has deteriorated\u201d with the Supreme Court\u2019s staff clinic becoming a \u201cmere consulting clinic,\u201d where \u201cdrugs are not available to treat minor ailments. There is a general lack of concern for Justices who require immediate or emergency medical intervention.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the issue of rules of court, the justices said the CJN has withheld his assent to \u201cRules of Court for almost three years now,\u201d thereby slowing justices\u2019 productivity in dispensing with cases, adding \u201cwe strongly believe the new rules will aid speedy dispensation of justice.\u201d<\/p>\n
On erratic electricity supply, the justices said they have been confined to work between the \u201chours of 8 a.m and 4 p.m daily, for lack of diesel,\u201d after they were notified of the development by the Supreme Court\u2019s Chief Registrar, Hajo Bello.<\/p>\n
Lamenting the implications of Ms Bello\u2019s memo of shutting down power supply by 4. p.m, even when justices have judgements and rulings to write outside of office hours, they said: \u201cThe implication of this memo (on power shutdown) is that the Justices must finish their work and close before 4 pm. Your Lordship with all due respect, this is the peak of the degeneration of the Court; it is the height of decadence and clear evidence of the absence of probity and moral rectitude.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drawing a comparison between the two other arms of government\u2013 Executive and Legislature, the justices said: \u201cThe Supreme Court is the seat of the Judiciary as an arm of government.\u201d<\/p>\n
Urging the CJN to take full responsibility for preserving the dignity of the apex court, the justices said: \u201cWe must not abandon our responsibility to call Your lordship to order in the face of these sad developments that threaten our survival as an institution. We have done our utmost best to send a wake-up call to Your Lordship. A stitch in time saves nine.\u201d<\/p>\n
They added that should Mr Muhammad fail to address their concerns, \u201cwe will be compelled to (take) further steps immediately. May this day never come.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The under-funding issues which have dogged the apex court of the country, which justices lamented over and which may have fast-tracked the departure of former Chief Justice Tanko Muhammad following a petition by his colleagues, are still unresolved, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has told the Senate. The new CJN made the disclosure while fielding questions from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":59803,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[4877,1198,48],"class_list":["post-59910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-ariwoola","tag-funding","tag-supreme-court"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=59910"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59910\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=59910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=59910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=59910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}