President Muhammadu Buhari in the course of the week, expressed reservations over the poor welfare and working conditions of judges, pledging to address the situation.

He said this would be done despite the dire state of the country’s economy “currently battling insecurity, corruption and economic challenges,” aggravated by the COVID-19 and the war in  Ukraine.

Mr Buhari stated this when he hosted the chairman and representatives of the Body of Benchers, a body of legal practitioners of “the highest distinction in the legal profession” in the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.

According to the president, a regime like the one he leads, “standing on a tripod comprising the executive, legislature and judiciary, cannot stand where one of its three pillars, the judiciary, is not properly nurtured, maintained and sustained to deliver on its very pivotal constitutional duties.”

Mr Buhari had on July 25 hosted outgoing president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, at the Presidential Villa Abuja.

He lauded him for the role he played in ensuring that the sub-regional body remained united.

“You showed great commitment to the unity of ECOWAS, and of the sub-region. Your tenure has been very successful, and I wish you and the family more successes ahead,” stated Mr Buhari.

The president departed Abuja on Tuesday for Monrovia, Liberia, to attend the 175th independence anniversary of the country as the special guest.

Nigeria played a leading role in the stabilisation of the West African nation in the early 1990s, leading to the establishment of democratic rule and has continued to assist the country, especially through the Technical Aids Corps scheme.

At the event in Monrovia, Mr Buhari called on leaders in West Africa to do all within their powers to ensure that elections were conducted in their countries in an atmosphere of trust, freedom and transparency.

According to him, it is the only way the sub-region can be insulated from the scourge of unconstitutional takeovers experienced in three countries recently.

The president affirmed that democracy and good governance must take their roots in Africa to sustain peace, stability and development while leaders must redouble their efforts to guarantee the irreversibility of democracy.

On July 27, Mr Buhari presided over a virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The council approved an augmentation of N16 billion for the completion of the dualisation of the Kano-Katsina Expressway and also received draft copies of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework 2023-2025 from the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning awaiting the National Assembly’s approval.

The ministry presented the draft for the country, for the next three years to the council.

Mr  Buhari also summoned an emergency meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday in Abuja, where he expressed serious concern over the current security challenges facing some parts of the country and would stop at nothing to change the tide.

In addition, the president hosted a delegation from the OGP Support Unit, led by CEO Sanjay Pradhan, on Thursday in Abuja.

During the meeting, Mr Buhari itemised the benefits Nigeria had derived from joining the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Support Unit.

He said when he committed Nigeria to the OGP membership at the London Anti-Corruption Summit, he was clear about the role that the initiative would play in the fight against corruption.

The Nigerian leader concluded the week with a congratulatory message to Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church (Odozi-Obodo), on his election as the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

(NAN)