For more than seven months, the customary court judges in Ikorodu have not been paid their salaries yet, they have been reporting to work almost on a daily basis.
However, as a result of non-payment, they have decided to sit only two or three times a week. According to a litigant, Mrs. Bayo Deroju, she told Oriwu Sun that the judges usually sit on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday every week while counselling is on every Wednesday but because of nonpayment, the customary Court judges have decided to sit intermittently.
She said, “The judges, that are supposed to sit to hear cases have now been reduced to two and when they sit, these two judges cannot deliver judgement because they can’t form a quorum.
Another litigant, Mrs. Anibaba said that some judges had left Ikorodu because their colleagues in other local government areas are being paid as and when due. An official of the council told Oriwu Sun that it was the responsibility of the local government to pay their salaries and arrears.
However, because of inadequate fund, which is normally the excuse of the local government, the judges have not been paid. The most annoying part of this is that most times, the judges don’t have transport fare and the sitting of that day would be affected.
A local government official confirmed to Oriwu Sun that it was true that the council was owing them seven months salary and arrears and that they had meetings with the council’s sole administrator, Mr. Ogunleye and the treasurer.
According to him, there were moves to pay them and he praised the judges for discharging their duties without pay. He promised that if they have allocations, they would be considered.
Efforts to get the chairman to comment on this issue was unsuccessful as our reporter visited his office several times and also sent text messages but for reasons best known to him, he did not respond.