By Chiangi Avese, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has declared that the judiciary in the state will get financial autonomy as provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Benue State Judiciary Fund Management (Financial Autonomy) Law, 2021.
The g governor made the declaration at the occasion of the 2023–2024 Benue State Judiciary Legal Year celebration, held at City Bay Event Centre, on Saturday in Makurdi.
Gov. Alia said, “Granting financial autonomy to the judiciary is an essential ingredient of the rule of law, which will enable judges to apply the law without fear or favor but with respect for the fundamental human rights of the citizenry”.
Governor Alia, who re-emphasized the determination of his administration to create an enabling investment environment to attract investors to the state, said such a desire can only become possible if the judiciary is there to protect investors from unwarranted legal proceedings.
He described the judicial arm of government as a valued partner in his administration’s efforts to reposition Benue State, promising to look into the welfare of judges, including those of the lower courts.
In the statement by Tersoo Kula, his chief press secretary, Gov Alia said: “The situation where judges of the lower courts in Benue State travel by public transportation, including commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada, is an enormous risk and poses grave dangers to the lives of the judges and their work”.
The governor directed the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice and Public Order, Barrister Fidelis Mnyim, to liaise with the Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, and work out modalities aimed at improving the welfare of the judges.
Felicitating with the judiciary in the state, Gov Alia charged judges to strive towards ensuring speedy and timely dispensation of justice in this new legal year.
Earlier in their separate addresses, the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, and the Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mnyim, emphasized the special role the judiciary has played in strengthening the electoral process in Nigeria, stating further that the judiciary will continue to act as a pillar of justice and sustain democracy in Nigeria and Benue State.
The event was attended by top members of the judiciary in the state, members of the Bench and Bar, as well as top government functionaries.
