Judiciary workers begin indefinite strike January 2

By A’isha Biola Raji

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) have said it would commence an indefinite strike from January 2, 2015, describing as “insensitive” the failure of stakeholders to respect the last memorandum of understanding regarding financial autonomy of the Judiciary hence the strike action.

The union, after an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), in Abuja, said the strike, after commencement, will continue pending when the Judiciary is free from the “captives and strangulation” by the executive Governors of the State.

The strike, according to the union, became imperative, considering the “rough terrain they encountered to make the governors implement the judgment of Federal High Court, delivered on January 13, 2014, which fell on deaf ears”.

In a communiqué made available to journalists, jointly signed by the President, Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu and Assistant General Secretary, Comrade Placidus Nnamani said it is clear that the judgment debtors, which are the state governors, are consciously disobeying and frustrating the independence of the Judiciary.

JUSUN said their action amounts to a level of “insincerity and insensitive” of the governors and the insecurity in the process of democratic principles.

The union also said the Accountant-General of the Federation is suspected to have compromised his position and authority imposed on him by the Court order.

It would be recalled that the previously intended strike was suspended following the last Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) supervised by the Minister of Labour, the recent MoU dated 27th November, 2014 is breached during the last Federation Account Allocations Committee (FAAC) meeting in December 2014.

JUSUN, however, warned that “the indefinite strike shall commence from 2nd day of January 2015, until the total compliance with the judgment of the Court, and the terms contained in the MoU “, adding the union will not take responsibility of any mishap as a result of the breach.

Some of the efforts of the union includes securing a Court judgment in a suit no FHC/ABJ/CS/66/2013, JUSUN vs National Judicial Council and 73 others, serving of said judgment on the debtors, the Federal Accountant General, State Accountants general and state auditor general for compliance and until the statutory period of Appeal, and now none of the judgment debtors or the parties served with the Court order have appealed against it.