Financial Autonomy: Judiciary, Legislative Strike May End Next Week, Says Labour Minister

*CJN Urges JUSUN To End Strike

Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige has given
assurance that the strike by legislative and Judiciary workers will
end by next week.

Ngige gave the assurance after a meeting yesterday afternoon at
the Supreme Court, Abuja, with some heads of courts, led by the
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad.

The minister said series of meeting with stakeholders, including
state governors, have been scheduled for between yesterday and
tomorrow “to iron out the few remaining grey areas.

He said the meeting, which was held in the chambers of the CJN,
was to discuss issues surrounding the implementation of the
financial autonomy provision for the Judiciary, for which court
workers have been on strike since April 6, this year.

At the meeting, Justice Muhammad, upon being briefed on the
progress made so far on the negotiation to address issues raised by
the striking workers, urged Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria
(JUSUN) to end the strike.

Ngige, who spoke with reporters while exiting the meeting venue,
said: “There are some grey areas, which the governors mentioned,
and I needed to be on the same page with the Secretary of the NJC
(the National Judicial Council), who is representing the judges at
our other meetings.

“So that is why I am here. I have met with some heads of courts
and we have discussed.

“We are meeting with the Judiciary workers soon, on Thursday.
With the Secretary of the NJC, we are going for another meeting now
with other members of the Presidential Implementation Committee on
Executive Order 10 and the autonomy of the Judiciary and
Legislature.

“So, we will fine-tune some of the things we got here. We will
crystalise them all and also meet with the governors tomorrow
(Wednesday),” he said.

On whether there was the likelihood of an early end to the
strike, the minister said: “I am very optimistic that by next week,
we will put an end to this.”

Senior Special Assistant (on Media) to the CJN, Ahuraka Yusuf
Isah, in a statement he issued after the meeting, said Ngige met
with Justice Muhammad and others to brief them on what was being
done to resolve the issues raised by the striking workers.

The statement reads: “Upon being briefed by the minister on the
negotiation level so far, the CJN then requested the JUSUN to call
off the strike in the interest of the nation and the larger
interest of justice.

“The CJN added that it would also allow opportunity for further
negations towards the resolution of the dispute.

“Besides, the CJN observed that some of the issues in contention
are already sub judice, as such there is need to give requisite
legal process enough opportunity to be exhausted.”

*CJN Urges JUSUN To End Strike

Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige has given
assurance that the strike by legislative and Judiciary workers will
end by next week.

Ngige gave the assurance after a meeting yesterday afternoon at
the Supreme Court, Abuja, with some heads of courts, led by the
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad.

The minister said series of meeting with stakeholders, including
state governors, have been scheduled for between yesterday and
tomorrow “to iron out the few remaining grey areas.

He said the meeting, which was held in the chambers of the CJN,
was to discuss issues surrounding the implementation of the
financial autonomy provision for the Judiciary, for which court
workers have been on strike since April 6, this year.

At the meeting, Justice Muhammad, upon being briefed on the
progress made so far on the negotiation to address issues raised by
the striking workers, urged Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria
(JUSUN) to end the strike.

Ngige, who spoke with reporters while exiting the meeting venue,
said: “There are some grey areas, which the governors mentioned,
and I needed to be on the same page with the Secretary of the NJC
(the National Judicial Council), who is representing the judges at
our other meetings.

“So that is why I am here. I have met with some heads of courts
and we have discussed.

“We are meeting with the Judiciary workers soon, on Thursday.
With the Secretary of the NJC, we are going for another meeting now
with other members of the Presidential Implementation Committee on
Executive Order 10 and the autonomy of the Judiciary and
Legislature.

“So, we will fine-tune some of the things we got here. We will
crystalise them all and also meet with the governors tomorrow
(Wednesday),” he said.

On whether there was the likelihood of an early end to the
strike, the minister said: “I am very optimistic that by next week,
we will put an end to this.”

Senior Special Assistant (on Media) to the CJN, Ahuraka Yusuf
Isah, in a statement he issued after the meeting, said Ngige met
with Justice Muhammad and others to brief them on what was being
done to resolve the issues raised by the striking workers.

The statement reads: “Upon being briefed by the minister on the
negotiation level so far, the CJN then requested the JUSUN to call
off the strike in the interest of the nation and the larger
interest of justice.

“The CJN added that it would also allow opportunity for further
negations towards the resolution of the dispute.

“Besides, the CJN observed that some of the issues in contention
are already sub judice, as such there is need to give requisite
legal process enough opportunity to be exhausted.”