Chief Judge of Cross River State, Justice Akon Ikpeme, has identified the non-implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary in the state as a major challenge to the quick dispensation of justice.

The chief judge stated this in an address during a special court session to mark the official opening of the 2025/2026 Legal Year of the state Judiciary in Calabar.

According to her, since the erstwhile Governor of the state, Prof. Ben Ayade, gave assent to the Cross River State Judiciary Fund Management Law No. 4, 2021, and the law came into effect on August 17, 2021, it has yet to be implemented.

Justice Ikpeme said the financial autonomy of the state Judiciary was well contemplated to achieve full independence and economic growth of the state.

She lamented that most of the projections for the outgone legal year had not been accomplished due to its non-implementation, adding that it had reduced public confidence in the justice delivery system, as it was easy to presume that the court was tied to the executive branch in justice delivery.

The chief judge said the state needed to change the narrative by allowing the judiciary to have direct access to its budgeted funds to fulfil its mandate.

She, however, expressed optimism that the current administration, led by Governor Bassey Out, would bring the dream to reality.

The chief judge urged all stakeholders, relevant authorities, and individuals to view the vision as worthwhile to pursue and to expedite the release of budgeted funds to the Cross River State judiciary.

While thanking the governor for employing more staff members for the judiciary over the years to boost effective service delivery, she lamented that most of the staff had retired, while other causes, such as death, also contributed to the steady depletion of its staff strength.

The chief judge disclosed that the state judiciary generated a total sum of N136,718,281.61 as internally generated revenue from January 1 to December 31, 2024, as against the budgeted revenue of N91 million approved for it in 2024, the difference of N45, 718,281.61k, representing 33.4 per cent increase/surplus in revenue generated in the period under review.

Justice Akon Ikpeme, who said the report demonstrated the financial contribution of the third arm of government to the state, regretted that the achievement did not impact on the internal welfare and well-being of the judiciary.