JUSUN Strike: Governors Altered Earlier Agreement On Autonomy — Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Friday,
said state governors on the platform of the Nigeria Governors Forum
altered some parts of the agreement they reached on Monday with
other stakeholders on the implementation of financial autonomy for
state legislature and the judiciary, hence the lingering industrial
action by members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria.

He said the affected areas of the agreement were fundamental in
terms of the execution of Sections 83 and 162 of Executive Order
10.

Ngige disclosed this in an interview with State House
correspondents after a meeting he had with President Muhammadu
Buhari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The chairman of the NGF, Kayode Fayemi, had after a meeting of
the technical committee on the matter chaired by the Chief of Staff
to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, on Monday disclosed that
state governors and other stakeholders had reached an agreement on
the implementation.

Although he did not disclose the details of the agreement
reached, Fayemi assured the nation that the implementation will
start in May.

But Ngige said on Friday that some parts of the agreement were
altered by the NGF.

He said, “We reviewed what has been done. The Chief of Staff did
what we call in labour parlance tripartite plus arrangement by
engaging them, both parties conceded; Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the
heads of courts, state judges, the unions, and the Presidential
Implementation Committee for Executive Order 10 led by the Attorney
General, but standing in for him by the Solicitor-General of the
Federation and Permanent Secretary.

“So, we reviewed where they are. We had a twist two days ago
because the arrangement they had with the Chief of Staff had to be
altered when the governors got back to their forum.

“As the conciliator, when they presented the two papers, one
from the Solicitor-General and another one from the
Director-General of the NGF, I had to tell them that we have to
reconcile those papers, because the areas that they differ are very
fundamental areas in terms of the execution of Sections 83 and
162.

“We need the governors to touch this among themselves and come
back, because, in consultation, I receive documents, issues from
the unions, and the NBA, and even the representative of the heads
of courts on one side, and then from these government people of
NGF, and the Solicitor-General of the Federation representing
Attorney-General.

“So, if the government’s papers are not on the same page, then
the discussion will be very difficult and fruitless. So, that is
where we are.

“As I finish from here, I am going to do another meeting with
the Chief of Staff so that we can make a move. The President has
directed that we meet and study the situation so that we can advise
the government’s side on what is best for the situation.”

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Friday,
said state governors on the platform of the Nigeria Governors Forum
altered some parts of the agreement they reached on Monday with
other stakeholders on the implementation of financial autonomy for
state legislature and the judiciary, hence the lingering industrial
action by members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria.

He said the affected areas of the agreement were fundamental in
terms of the execution of Sections 83 and 162 of Executive Order
10.

Ngige disclosed this in an interview with State House
correspondents after a meeting he had with President Muhammadu
Buhari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The chairman of the NGF, Kayode Fayemi, had after a meeting of
the technical committee on the matter chaired by the Chief of Staff
to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, on Monday disclosed that
state governors and other stakeholders had reached an agreement on
the implementation.

Although he did not disclose the details of the agreement
reached, Fayemi assured the nation that the implementation will
start in May.

But Ngige said on Friday that some parts of the agreement were
altered by the NGF.

He said, “We reviewed what has been done. The Chief of Staff did
what we call in labour parlance tripartite plus arrangement by
engaging them, both parties conceded; Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the
heads of courts, state judges, the unions, and the Presidential
Implementation Committee for Executive Order 10 led by the Attorney
General, but standing in for him by the Solicitor-General of the
Federation and Permanent Secretary.

“So, we reviewed where they are. We had a twist two days ago
because the arrangement they had with the Chief of Staff had to be
altered when the governors got back to their forum.

“As the conciliator, when they presented the two papers, one
from the Solicitor-General and another one from the
Director-General of the NGF, I had to tell them that we have to
reconcile those papers, because the areas that they differ are very
fundamental areas in terms of the execution of Sections 83 and
162.

“We need the governors to touch this among themselves and come
back, because, in consultation, I receive documents, issues from
the unions, and the NBA, and even the representative of the heads
of courts on one side, and then from these government people of
NGF, and the Solicitor-General of the Federation representing
Attorney-General.

“So, if the government’s papers are not on the same page, then
the discussion will be very difficult and fruitless. So, that is
where we are.

“As I finish from here, I am going to do another meeting with
the Chief of Staff so that we can make a move. The President has
directed that we meet and study the situation so that we can advise
the government’s side on what is best for the situation.”