Court workers insist strike continues until…as FIDA urges workers to call off strike

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has urged its members to sustain the ongoing strike until their demand for financial autonomy was granted by government.

Ahmed Bello, the National Vice President (North East Zone) of the union, made this position known to newsmen in Gombe.

He said this would help the union to uphold the financial autonomy of the judicial system in the country as declared by the court.

``This judgment was obtained January 2014; all efforts had being put in place to see that this strike does not take place and there is nothing we can do.

``At least we gave the stakeholders all the necessary space for them to see that they implemented what the court has said, but nobody appealed,” said the union leader.

Bello said that JUSUN had obtained judgment on the interpretation of Section 83, sub-section 3, as well as on Section 121, sub-section 3, which declared that constitutionally judiciary must be financially independent.

He stated that the strike was not based on the issues of welfare but on absolute financial autonomy for the system.

Bello said that they want the system to be free from interference to enable the judiciary perform its function fearlessly.

In compliance with the strike, all courts in the across the country have remained closed.

JUSUN strike: FIDA urges workers to call off strike

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Women Lawyers, (FIDA) has urged the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, (JUSUN), to have a rethink and call-off their nationwide industrial action.

The President, FIDA, Ekiti branch, Mrs Rita Ilevvare, made the call in an interview in Ado-Ekiti.

She urged the union to approach the court as a means of making government to comply with an earlier court judgment delivered in its favour.

Ilevvare said, "making use of a gentle and proper manner to fight their course is more honourable, rather than total close down of all courts in the Country.

"In my opinion, I believe JUSUN should not have gone on strike, I advise them to go back to work.

"If the government is not willing to comply with the Judgment that granted the judiciary autonomy, they can take advantage of the court processes to compel government to obey the law.

"But now that, the entire judicial processes had been shut-down, there could be no means for either the union or the government to appeal or approach the courts for effective compliance," she said.

The FIDA president urged the government to respect the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), which states clearly that the three arms of government should be independent.

According to her, the government must see this matter (Judicial autonomy) as a Constitutional matter and her failure to comply is not a good signal.

"If the government has anything against the earlier court judgment delivered in favour of the union, she can appeal or dialogue with the parties concerned," she said.

The national strike declared by JUSUN National Secretariat enters its second day on Tuesday.