The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, LATEEF FAGBEMI, has lamented the neglect in the remuneration of judicial officers for close to 17 years, a situation he acknowledged is hostile to any meaningful judicial reform.

FAGBEMI stated this during a one-day public hearing bordering on the advancement of the welfare of the judiciary and the need to salvage an impoverished judiciary.

He stated that between May 1999 and March 2011, the Federal Government had reviewed the salaries and allowances of Public Servants and Political office holders on four occasions, specifically in 2000, 2005, 2007 and 2011.

He added that new regimes of national minimum wage were also put in place within the same period.

He, however, noted that the salaries of judicial officers were only reviewed twice during the same period.

The President of the National Industrial Court, Honourable Justice BENEDICT KANYIP has asked for an amendment of the law to solve the problem of retired judiciary officers, proposing a 4-year periodic review of the salaries of judicial officers.

On her part, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice MONICA DONGBAN-MENSEM said salaries and welfare are not the only crucial issues.

She argued that the cost of operations has become a major challenge that has necessitated the thought to shut down some of the courts, owing to low budgetary provisions.