It is often said that there are three arms of the state; the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. The executive has its ministers and permanent secretaries. The legislature has its National Assembly Members and the judiciary has its Judges and Magistrates.
The ministers have each an official car and a utility car. The National Assembly Members have access to utility cars if they so desire whose source is a matter of national debate. Magistrates however are to preside over cases and then join public transport to go to work to and fro. The Chief Justice is empowered under section 144 of the Constitution, to “submit the annual estimates of expenditure for the Judicature to the President for presentation to the National Assembly in accordance with this Constitution. The President shall cause the estimates to be placed before the National Assembly without amendment, but may attach to them his or her own comments and observations.”
He now has the opportunity to examine the genuine needs of the magistrates in order to determine salaries, allowances and so on, so that Magistrates can do with their work without the temptation to be induced due to deprivation.
