The Chief Justice of Nigeria , Justice Walter Onnoghen , on Monday , restated the problems of inadequate funding at state levels , which he described as one of the greatest challenges confronting the nation ’ s judiciary .
Onnoghen, who also made a case for a judiciary free from interference by the two other arms of government , said how free and democratic a nation was could be determined by what powers a nation conceded to the judiciary .
The CJN , represented by a Justice of the Supreme Court , Justice Kumai Akaahs , spoke at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja during the opening ceremony of the 2018 orientation course for newly appointed magistrates.
The event was with the theme , ‘ Promoting judicial excellence in the administration of justice ’ .
Onnoghen, who spoke of the efforts his administration was making to reform the judiciary , said to promote excellence in the administration of justice , there was the need to tackle the challenges , including underfunding , facing the courts .
“ The issue of inadequate funding at the state level is one of the greatest challenges confronting the judiciary of this nation .
“ These challenges include inadequate funding of manpower development and inadequate facilities , among many others.
“ Therefore, in promoting excellence in the administration of justice , it is of utmost importance to tackle the challenges facing your courts . ”
Advocating “ a real independence of the judiciary ” , he also noted that how free or democratic a nation was could be determined by the powers the judiciary was allowed to exercise .
“ It is quite often said that the litmus test to find out how free and democratic any nation is; is to take a cursory look at its judiciary to find out what powers the nation is prepared to concede to this vital partner in governance. ”
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