The National Assembly says the proposed 165 billion naira Budget for the National Judicial Council for the 2024 Fiscal year is paltry.
This was the outcome of the Budget Defence Session with the Executive Secretary of the NJC and Members of the Joint Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal matters
The Committee has summoned the Director General Budget as well as the Minister of Budget and National Planning to appear before it unfailingly today, Thursday at noon to give further explanation to The meager budgetary provisions.
The National Judicial Council appeared at the National Assembly’s Committee to give account of its 2023 Budget Performance and present budget estimates for 2024 .
The Executive Secretary of the NJC complained about the Envelope Budgetary Provisions for the Agencies which is responsible for the under-funding of the Judicial arm of Government.
He says the NJC still has pending N15 Billion already approved in the 2023 supplementary budget but it’s yet to be released to the agency.
The executive secretary also told the lawmakers that N514.41 billion was the initial proposed budgetary estimate by the agency, but was later revised downwards to N165 Billion
He says the little money allocated to the Ministry will slow down the delivery of Justice
Members of the Committee rejected the budgetary provision proposed for the agency which they believe will negatively affect the independence of the Judiciary.
They says such Fiscal provision for a crucial arm of Government cannot be implemented as it already violates section 18 of the Procurement act
To this end , the Committee summoned the DG budget and the Minister of Budget and National Planning to provide further explanation
