Financial Autonomy: Again, FG Meets With JUSUN, PASAN Says Strikes Will End Soon

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THE Federal Government yesterday expressed optimism that the
ongoing strike embarked upon by the duo of Judicial Staff Union of
Nigeria, JUSUN, and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria,
PASAN, will end soon.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige,
stated this after a conciliation meeting between the Government
negotiating team and the two unions in his office.

Ngige said the Government side has made offers to the two unions
for them to consult with their various National Executive
Committees, NEC, and revert back.

According to him, a lot of work went into the proposal given by
the government side to the two unions, which substantially
addressed their demands for judicial and legislative autonomy in
the 36 states of the country.

He explained that the proposal was produced by the committee of
the Government side, comprising the Solicitor General of the
Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice,
Dayo Apata (SAN), the Secretary of the Presidential Committee for
the Implementation of Judicial and Legislative Autonomy, Senator
Ita Enang, representative of the National Judicial Council (NJC)
and the Director General of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).

The Minister said, “A lot of work went in. We have exchanged
briefs with the JUSUN and PASAN. They have their demands, which
they had earlier submitted. The government side has given counter
offers and properly addressed the burning issue of financial
autonomy for state legislatures and judiciary.”

He explained that questions were asked and answered, while
critical observations were made and explained, working on the
proposal given by the government side.

Ngige said the meeting has been adjourned with a view to enable
JUSUN and PASAN take back the government proposal to their members
in their National Executive Committees.

He said, “We expect them to work on the documents from tomorrow
and if they are satisfied, they should inform us. And you know that
when they are satisfied, the logical thing is to call off the
industrial dispute. So, we are to receive their views on the
government offer by Tuesday morning.”

Ngige said over all, the discussions have been very fruitful,
adding that they have moved from the initial position of ground
zero, to ground 85.

He, however, appealed to the striking workers to return to work
to enable the Government meet the remaining part of their
demands.

He said, “We cannot do this when the legislatures are closed in
various states. We cannot also operationalise them when the courts
are closed and Heads of Courts are not allowed into the courts or
their offices.

“We have made documentation and statistics for the State Houses
of Assembly to make appropriate laws. So, we plead that you open
the courts and State Houses of Assembly.

“Besides, we are menaced by bandits, terrorists , and arsonists
. With the courts closed, the police cannot tackle insecurity.”

Responding, the Vice Chairman of JUSUN Comrade Emmanuel Abioye,
and the National President of PASAN, Mohammed Usman, said they were
going back to meet with their NEC to study the situation and
consider the offers made before reverting back to the minister.