Akwa Ibom CJ appeals for proper funding of judiciary

The Chief Judge (CJ) of Akwa Ibom, Justice Ekaette Obot, has appealed to Governor Umo Eno for the regular release of funds to the Judiciary to enhance the effective dispensation of justice

Obot made the appeal in her address on Monday during the opening of the 2024/2025 legal year at the judiciary headquarters in Uyo.

The Chief Judge said that the judiciary in the state had been grappling with debt issues, due to the non-release of funds throughout last year.

She said: “We, therefore, plead with His Excellency for regular release of funds to maintain our facilities all over the state for optimal performances of the Judges, Magistrates, Chairmen of District Courts and for district funds to service debt liabilities,” .

Obot in her speech added that the judiciary was inadequately staffed as the recruitment to the state judiciary was done last in 2012.

She said that to address the shortage of staff, the judiciary resulted to assigning one staff member to cover the schedule of two and sometimes three persons’ duties.

She disclosed that within the last two years, an unprecedented number of 316 staff have retired from the state judiciary without replacement.

“When retirement goes on for many years without regular replacement, many skills and competencies are lost.

“We therefore trust that in this new legal year, our Governor will grant us leave to recruit more staff,” she said.

The chief judge said that in the course of her visit to correctional facilities last year, she discovered that inmates lacked basic education.

Obot said that based on the above, she suggested that proper schools for adult education be set within to correctional centres to ensure inmates basic primary and secondary education and skills acquisition to reform them.

The CJ urged the Bar to continue to partner with the judiciary in the state to ensure speedy dispensation of justice.

In his remarks, Gov Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, who spoke during the Church service at Oua Iboe Church assured the judiciary of state government cooperation to enhance the quick dispensation of justice