BY: AYO AGBEOLUWAYE
The Lagos State House of Assembly has commenced moves to improve the welfare and working conditions of magistrates in the state, with lawmakers proposing an increase in their retirement age from 60 to 65 years.
The House, during plenary on Monday, gave second reading to the Magistrate Courts Amendment Bill 2026, which seeks to strengthen the magistracy, retain experienced judicial officers and enhance effective justice delivery across the state.
Leading the debate on the bill, the Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and LASIEC, Hon. Oladipo Ajomale, said the proposed amendment was aimed at improving the conditions of service of magistrates and strengthening the administration of justice.
Ajomale noted that the Lagos State Government had made significant investments in the training and professional development of magistrates, stressing that improved welfare was necessary to retain the expertise acquired by judicial officers.
He particularly advocated an increase in the retirement age of magistrates from 60 to 65, arguing that allowing experienced judicial officers to retire at 60 could result in the loss of valuable knowledge and expertise at a time when such experience was most needed.
According to him, magistrates handle a significant volume of cases involving ordinary citizens, and the retirement of a magistrate in the middle of an ongoing matter could cause unnecessary delays and, in some instances, require proceedings to begin afresh.
Also contributing to the debate, Hon. Bonu Solomon called for more research into the working conditions of magistrates, as well as improved welfare packages.
Bonu said magistrates were often confronted with heavy workloads, with some reportedly handling more than 100 cases in a single day. He stressed that the level of pressure faced by judicial officers required greater attention from the House.
He maintained that improving the welfare of magistrates would serve as a motivation for them to perform their duties more efficiently, ultimately contributing to faster and more effective justice delivery in Lagos State.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, said the retirement age of magistrates should not be determined solely by age but should also take into consideration their competence and ability to continue performing effectively.
Obasa observed that many people above the age of 60 remained active and productive, stressing that competent magistrates should be allowed to continue serving, while those who were no longer capable of effectively discharging their responsibilities should retire.
The Speaker subsequently referred the bill to the House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and LASIEC for further deliberation and directed the committee to report its findings to the House within one week
