The Chief Judge of Kwara, Justice Sulyman Kawu, has said that the judicial arm of government required full autonomy to enable it perform and meet the expectations of the masses.
Kawu spoke on the sidelines of the inauguration of a rehabilitated Magistrate Court building on Tuesday in Ijagbo, Kwara.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Prince Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) financed the rehabilitation of the court building in Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government Area of the state.
The CJ said that President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier issued Executive Order 10 to guarantee financial autonomy for the judiciary in the states, but many governors were yet to implement it.
According to him, lack of autonomy made it difficult for the third organ of government to have control over its funds.
He said that the situation compelled the judicial arm to be at the mercy of state governors, who only approved what was allotted to the organ in the annual budget.
Kawu said that availability of autonomy for the judiciary would enable it determine what it needed and how it would spend its allocations.
"The first thing is the problem of autonomy for the judiciary. We don't have that autonomy.
"We don’t have control over our funds, and it is left for individual governors to be benevolent to approve what is in the budget for the judiciary.
"But if we have autonomy, then the judiciary will be able to determine what it needs and how it will spend what is given to it.
"So, the major problem is paucity of fund to execute some of our projects. And it is all over.
"They (governors) have challenged the validity of Executive Order 10 in Supreme Court and it is still pending there", Kawu said.
Fagbemi, said the reality had shown that government alone could not provide all that was needed, hence the need for support of the citizenry.
The SAN said that he carried out the renovation of the court to expedite dispensation of justice in the area.
He expressed the hope that the rehabilitated court building would enhance peace among the people and promote socioeconomic development of Ijagbo community and its environs.
"I have always held the view that no matter how magnanimous the government decides to be or how large is their resources, they cannot cater for everybody.
"It is therefore, the responsibility of all and sundry to ensure that you complement government's efforts.
"I am a lawyer and one of the greatest things that will assist socioeconomic development is to have a dispute resolution centre as exemplified by the court
"And I think doing this will enhance the development of the area. It will also bring about peace", he said
The SAN further said that when people disagree, they always have rest of mind that when they get to court, the matter would be settled according to law.
He added that this was what motivated him to promote justice and also support those who are engaged in dispute resolution.(NAN)
