Why We Called Off Strike In Federal Courts – JUSUN
… Says Strikes Will Be Suspended In States Ready To Meet Conditions
SAN FRANCISCO, January 27, (THEWILL) – Judiciary workers under the aegis of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) said on Tuesday that they decided to call off their strike at the federal courts because their conditions have been met by the Federal Government.
JUSUN however explained that it was ready to do same at the state courts if the various state governments undertake to meet the conditions of the union.
The national leadership of JUSUN explained these in a letter titled, Resolution and directives in respect of the strike by the union, issued on Tuesday, which contained resolutions reached between the union and the Federal Government.
In the letter signed by JUSUN's National Assistant Secretary, P. Nnamani, and addressed to its Vice Presidents, Chairmen and Assistant Secretaries of state chapters and branches, the union maintained that the four-week strike would only be suspended in states where the governments had given commitment for the implementation of the court judgment which JUSUN is clamouring for.
The national leadership of the union which called for a nationwide strike on January 5 on Sunday asked its members at the federal court to resume duties on Monday, saying a joint team comprising representatives of government is to monitor Federal Government's compliance with its undertaking.
The strike was called to press for the implementation of a January 13, 2014 judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja which affirmed the judicial autonomy of the nation's judiciary.
The judgment delivered by Justice Adeniyi Ademola abolished the piecemeal funding of the judiciary and ordered the Accountant-General of the Federation to be deducting funds standing to the credit of the judiciary from the Federation Account and be disbursing same to the various heads of court.
But the letter calling off the strike in the federal courts states in part: “That the strike by the union at the federal chapters – the federal courts, the National Judicial Institute, the National Judicial Council and the Federal Judicial Service Commission is hereby suspended with effect from January 26, 2015.
“That the strike in the state branches (state judiciaries – shall continue until the individual states give a reasonable commitment to implement the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria supported by the judgment of the Federal High Court.
“The expected contents of the commitment shall comprise: (a) that monies due to the judiciary should be paid over to the heads of courts on monthly or quarterly basis on the preference of the Federal Government of Nigeria or individual states.
“(b) the process of requiring the judiciary to process approvals through the executive should cease forthwith.
“(c) Compliance with the terms of the judgment which reinforced the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with effect from January 2015.
“(d) That no JUSUN member shall be penalised and/or denied any salaries for embarking on strike to implement the judgment.
“You are further informed that the stakeholders chaired by the Secretary to the Federal Government has put in place a joint team of JUSUN, NJC, representatives of the office of the SGF, the state Attorneys-General.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress, Chief Registrars, Ministry of Labour and Productivity and the Nigeria Bar Association to monitor compliance with the constitutional provision.
“At the federal level, the monitors shall be chaired by the NBA and the secretary shall be from NJC, while at state level, the chairman shall be the chairman of the NBA branch of the state and the secretary shall be the Chief Registrar of the High Court.”