Malami reveals how FG pays N258m robe allowance to 860 lawyers annually

Yesterday, November 12, 2021, the Justice Department said that a sum of N258 million was paid to 860 lawyers in its service as robe allowance.

He said that each lawyer is paid 300,000 N per year.

Federation Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami made the revelation when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights and Legal Affairs to defend the ministry’s 2022 budget forecast.

Senator Emmanuel Orker-Jev had raised concerns about staff costs at the ministry during the session.

He tried to find out the number of lawyers in the ministry.

The minister explained that the total number of lawyers in the ministry is around 860 and is entitled to 300,000 naira each as a robe allowance.
“He said:” 860 lawyers are entitled to N300,000 per year as a dress allowance.

Senator Orker-Jev further asked the Minister how the allowance was paid.
The Minister replied that “this is an annual payment. It’s a tradition. ”
The senator said, “I have been using robes for over 10 years. ”

Committee chairman Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said the money is paid to make lawyers appear neat and presentable in court.
He said: “I make sure our lawyers are well presented in court. ”

The ministry proposed to spend a total of 11.8 billion naira in FY2022 with a personnel cost of 3.9 billion naira, overheads (excluding legal services) of 2.4 billion naira, legal services of 2 billion naira and an investment budget of 3.5 billion naira.