Autonomy: Judiciary Workers Suspend Strike, As FG Agrees To Implement Court Ruling

Autonomy: Judiciary Workers Suspend Strike, As FG Agrees To Implement Court Ruling

Following an agreement reached between the federal government and the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), the accountant general of the federation (AGF) is to commence the implementation of the federal high court judgment during the next Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting which is holding in two weeks.

It may be recalled that JUSUN got a court order from the Federal High Court Abuja on January 13, 2014 regarding respect for the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on financial autonomy of the judiciary.

However, in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) reached at the end of a marathon meeting at the instance of supervising minister of Labour and Productivity, Kabiru Turaki, the leadership of JUSUN and other stakeholders, it was concluded that the AGF is to make deductions during the next FAAC meeting to the National Judicial Council (NJC) in line with the court judgment.

The MoU also stated that the deductions will be done based on the actual funds released that can be defended by the respective States and concurred by JUSUN.

The MoU, which was jointly signed by the permanent secretary ministry of Labour, Clement Illoh, the accountant general of the federation, Jonah Otunla, JUSUN president Marwan Mustapha Adamu, director, Home Finance, Federal Ministry of Finance, K. Zaji, and others, said in view of the above, JUSUN suspends the threat to resume strike Monday, December 1, 2014.

The MOU reads in part: “The issue of concern to the members of JUSUN remains the implementation of the subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on January 13, 2014 regarding sections 81(3), 121(3) and 162(9) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

“On November 27, 2014, as a follow up, a meeting was called in the instance of supervising minister of Labour with JUSUN among other stakeholders to discuss the outcome of the last meeting held on November 19, 2014, in that regard”. The meeting noted that the assignment given to the director, Home Finance, had been executed.

“The figures submitted by JUSUN had been reconciled with the budgeted estimates by the states accountants general. Based on the above, it was concluded that the AGF will make deductions during the next FAAC meeting to the NJC in line with the court judgment based on the actual funds released that can be defended by the respective states and concurred by JUSUN”.