Inflation Hindering Justice Administration – NJC
Ahmed Saleh, The Executive Secretary of National Judicial Council (NJC), disclosed that inflation is hindering administration of justice when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, chaired by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.
Saleh was in the Senate to give overview of the 2021 budget and to defend the 2022 budget proposal, put at N120bn.
He said galloping inflation had forced the judiciary to roll some of their projects slated for execution in 2021, over to the 2022 budget.
He informed the Committee that the Judiciary had been able to achieve about 70 per cent of its budget implementation.
The NJC boss said, “The statutory transfer for the year 2022 will be N120bn. We are aware that this is possible because of your sustained campaign for the funding of the Judiciary.
“I am glad to report to this Committee that out of N110bn appropriated to us, we are able to implement 70 per cent of our budget
“Permit me at this point to make some observations regarding the prevailing economic situation in the country.
“As of the year 2020 December, the exchange rate of naira was N380 to $1 and the rate was N480 to $1 at the parallel market.
“The galloping inflation that the country witnessed affected our performances.”
Bamidele assured the leadership of the Judiciary of the Committee’s cooperation to interact with the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure adequate funding of the Judicial sector.
He said, “I wish to state at this juncture that the 2022 statutory transfer to the judiciary is in the sum of N120bn only, representing an increase of N10bn over the sum which was appropriated in the 2021 Appropriation Act.
“However, in spite of this increase, there is need to advocate for more funds for the Judiciary in order to meet competing needs and to address the challenges of infrastructure and welfare of Judicial Officers/Staff of the Judiciary.
“In this regard, the Committee will continue to interact with the leadership of the National Assembly and all the relevant stakeholders to solicit more funds for the Judiciary.
“This is one of the ways we can strengthen the justice delivery system and administration of justice in the country, to meet the ever-increasing demands for justice by Nigerians.”
