Senate yesterday received report from the National Judicial Council, (NJC), on the current galloping inflation will affect the administration of justice delivery in the country.
Speaking in Abuja when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, led by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele(APC, Ekiti Central), for overview of 2021 budget and defend 2022 budget proposal, Executive Secretary of NJC, Ahmed Saleh, disclosed that the judiciary had been able to achieve about 70 per cent of its budget implementation.
He said: “The statutory transfer for the year 2022 will be N120 billion, 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 of the N110 billion 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 at December 2020, the exchange rate of Naira was N380 to $1 and the rate was N480 to $1 at parallel market. So, given this indices and galloping inflation that the country witnessed, particularly some of our budgetary provisions that are foreign components, by implication affects our performances.
“Inflation was projected to be 11.95 per cent but as at now, 17.0 percent. Definitely, all our projects, goods and services were affected .”
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Speaking earlier, committee chairman, Senator Bamidele assured the leadership of judiciary of cooperation of the committee its readiness to interact with the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure adequate funding of judicial sector .
Senator Bamidele said: “I wish to state at this juncture that the 2022 statutory transfer to the judiciary is in the sum of N120 billion only, representing an increase, which is in the sum of N10 billion only, over the sum appropriated in the 2021 Appropriation Act.
“However, in spite of this increase, there is need to advocate more funds for the judiciary in order to meet competing needs and address the challenges of infrastructure and welfare of judicial officers/staff of the judiciary.
