Mohammed Oluwatimileyin Taoheed reports,
Prof. Ben Ayade, the current Governor of Cross River State, has approved the a full 100 percent review of the salaries and welfare of judicial officers in the state.
While making the announcement that the new salary package will take effect as from August 1, 2022, at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Calabar, Prof Ayade confirmed it during the swearing-in of the new President of Cross River Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Anjor Mbe.
Track News Nigeria gathered that the salaries of the state’s high court judges will be increased by 100 percent while the Judges of the Customary Court of Appeal will also have their salaries increased by 100 percent and those of the Magistrates will be increased by 50 percent.
Our court correspondent, Mr. Mohammed Oluwatimileyin Taoheed, covers that Ayade granted all judicial officers in the state immediate land allocation.
Ayade noted: “As a matter of state government’s policy, any judicial officer sworn-in will have his or her official car ready for delivery.”
“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.”
Similarly, he made it known that his government has equally approved the setting aside of 25 percent of the gross emoluments to support judicial officers’ allowances in terms of vacation, travels, among others.
Professor Ayade vowed that his administration is ready to back the arm of government from time to time as the need arises.
Track News Nigeria understands that a Committee which had retired Justice Eyo Effiong Ita as Chairman and the state’s Head of Service, Timothy Ogbang Akwaji as Secretary, was assigned with reviewing the salaries of Cross River state judicial officers.
