Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of Enugu State has been urged to address the precarious state of magistrates’ welfare in the state.
A former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Enugu State Chapter, Barr. CNN Nwagbara, made this call on Saturday when he appeared on Family Love 99.9 FM’s Igbo show, Efinenweghi Ọdụdụ.
He stated that one of the problems facing the justice system in Nigeria, especially in Enugu State, is the poor remuneration for judicial workers, especially those who administer justice at the lower level, such as magistrates.
“Magistrates are crucial to the foundation of our justice system, but the conditions under which they serve do not reflect the importance of their role. A situation where those who uphold the law are struggling with inadequate pay and poor living conditions is a disservice to justice itself,” Barr. Nwagbara remarked.
Narrating the ordeals faced by magistrates in Enugu State, such as poor salaries, lack of residential apartments, lack of cars to aid movement, and inadequate facilities to execute their work, among others, Barr. Nwagbara said a state of emergency has to be declared by Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, whom he described as a lawyer, to address these issues properly.
He called on magistrates to exercise some patience for the Governor, as he is a man who listens.
He also urged them to use the legally approved systems, such as the Judicial Service Commission, to send their ordeals to the appropriate authorities.
Also speaking, the immediate past chairman of the NBA in Ezeagu Local Government Area, Barr. CD Ezeh, said it is high time the state government addressed all the predicaments faced by magistrates.
“The risks faced by magistrates daily are immense. It is only fair that their compensation and support match the weight of their responsibilities. When magistrates cannot feel safe or valued in their roles, it weakens the justice system at its core,” Barr. Ezeh stated.
He stated that the safety of magistrates is in doubt because they are the first contact on any criminal issues, after which they would still go back to the streets to meet those who were arraigned before them or their subordinates.
Barr. Ezeh called for a comprehensive overhaul of the welfare packages currently used for magistrates, as it is a mockery when compared with the risk and service they render.
