Chime Raises Alarm Over Shortage Of Judges

Governor Sullivan
Chime of Enugu State, has raised alarm over the paucity of judges in Enugu, urging the National Judicial Commission (JSC) to intervene without any form of delay to forestall a crisis situation in the state judiciary.
Governor Chime, who was speaking while swearing in three new judges of the state judiciary, also urged the NJC to live up to its  responsibility of ensuring the full independence of the judiciary, adding that this would  be  in the best interest of judges in the country.
The three new judges are; Justice Ngozi Rosemary Orji of the state High Court and Justices Chiemelie Onaga and Ada Obayi, both of the state Customary Court of Appeal.
According to him, the shortage of judges in the state was occasioned by retirements, expressing concern that with many more judges retiring next year, the approval by the NJC for the appointment of only three new judges could hardly serve the purpose of filling the many vacancies in the state judiciary.
The governor, therefore, offered to devote his personal efforts and energy towards making the NJC give favourable attention to the call for the appointment of new judges in the state.
He also lamented that the failure of the NJC to secure full independence of the judiciary had meant that the states would be continuously saddled with the responsibility of funding the judiciary.
Lending his voice to the call for appointment of more judges for the state, the Chief Judge, Justice Innocent Umezuluike, warned that  failure of the NJC to approve the appointment of new judges for the state before June 2015 could lead to a situation where “the Enugu State Judiciary will likely stagger and kiss the dust”.
The chief judge, however, expressed satisfaction with the level of competence of the newly appointed judges, pointing out that they were tested and experienced hands who would help to fortify and re-energize the state judiciary.
Responding on behalf of her colleagues, Justice Ngozi Orji, expressed gratitude to the state governor, the State Judicial Service Commission and the NJC for finding them worthy of recommendation to the coveted position.
She pledged to justify the confidence reposed in them by working harder to ensure that the “Enugu State Judiciary becomes the envy of the society”.