*Says judiciary not Nigeria’s problem but bad leadership
The immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has said that the Supreme Court of Nigeria should be adequately funded to avoid the apex court from becoming a glorified High Court.
The former CJN also lamented that Justices of the Supreme Court (JSC) have been suffering since 2008 when their salaries and emoluments were last reviewed by the Federal Government.
Onnoghen, who spoke in Abuja on Thursday at a function, revealed that some JSC still live in rented apartments in areas not befitting in Abuja.
Besides the poor residential accommodation issue, the former CJN explained that chambers of the Supreme Court Justices are also not befitting of their status. He therefore appealed that the apex court should be properly funded to enable the Justices perform optimally in a conducive atmosphere.
He recalled that while in office as CJN, he headed a team comprising the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as well as Solicitor General of the Federation, that prepared a new welfare scheme on the orders of the Federal Government but lamented that since his exit, the Welfare Scheme Report which would have enhanced the condition of service of the Justices, had been jettisoned.
Onnoghen appealed that funding of the judiciary be immediately looked into with a view to improving it, because of the critical role of the judiciary in nation-building.
He maintained that the Supreme Court is still being overworked with Justices bearing the brunt.
The former CJN also canvassed that appeal cases should not be assigned to the Supreme Court as of right but by leave of the court to eliminate congestion in the workload of the court.
He said, “The Judiciary is not Nigeria’s problem but bad leadership. There must be a rethink on issues affecting the judiciary because, without a strong legal profession, you cannot talk of the rule of law”.
He therefore pleaded that youths should be encouraged to enable them to contribute meaningfully to the general development of the country.
