The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called for a slash in the pay of political office holders such as the President, Vice-President, governors and their deputies, as well as lawmakers.
SERAP made the call on Sunday via a statement issued by its SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and addressed to the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Elias Mbam.
The group asked RMAFC to urgently review upward the remuneration, allowances, and conditions of service for Nigerian judges, and to review downward the remuneration and allowances of high-ranking political office-holders in order to address the persistent poor treatment of judges, and to improve access of victims of corruption to justice.
SERAP also urged Mbam to send your review and recommendations to the National Assembly for appropriate remedial and legislative action, as provided for by the Nigerian Constitution 1999.
The letter followed the nationwide industrial action by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to press home their demand for financial autonomy for the judicial arm of government, and the federal government’s silence on the judiciary workers’ strike that has grounded courts across the country.