Finally, Govs, Judicial, Legislative Workers Sign Agreement On Financial Autonomy

*Unions to call off strike after receipt of
allocation

State governors and the leadership of the Judiciary Staff Union
of Nigeria (JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria
(PASAN) have finally entered into agreement on the modalities and
timelines for the commencement of full financial autonomy for
various arms of government at the state level.

The deal was brokered by the committee on the implementation of
financial autonomy for the state legislature and judiciary arms of
government led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris
Ngige.

Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting with the
unions in Abuja which ended late last night, Ngige said that an
agreement had been signed on the implementation of full financial
autonomy for the state judiciary and legislative arms of
government.

He described the event as historic coming after several attempts
and failures to implement the constitutional provision by
successive governments.

He said: “At the end of the tortuous journey we had undertaken
this evening , we have signed an agreement, not a Memorandum of
Action as such but a framework for each of the state governments to
grant autonomy to their state legislature and judiciary. As I said
earlier the governors have studied this document and they are in
agreement with it. “So by Monday or Tuesday, we are going trigger
off the section B and D which says governments of the respective
states shall credit the accounts of the legislative and Judicial
arms or government with a pro-rata amounts due to each arms of
government under the 2021 appropriation law,” he said.

Among the signatories to the document are: Ekiti State Governor
and Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi,
the Sokoto state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (for the
governors); and the representatives of the unions, including Ngige
who signed as a witness to the agreement.

According to the document containing agreement obtained, all
states are required to pass and assent to the Funds Management Law
and the state House of Assembly Service Commission Law as well as
put in place implementation structures within a time-frame not
exceeding 45 days from the date of signing this document.

The agreement which has the input and recommendations from all
the parties, such the governors, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and
JUSUN and the leadership of the parliamentary workers is expected
to be signed later by the governors and the leadership of the two
unions.

The agreement stated that various Fund Management Laws should
mandate the State Accountants General to release appropriated funds
directly to each arm as statutory transfers beginning with the next
federal allocation.

The two unions had insisted that they only call off their
industrial action once the states transfers funds from the next
federal allocation directly to the accounts of the judiciary and
legislative arms.

Under the agreement, there will also be a State Account
Allocation Committee (SAAC) to be given legislative backing in the
various Fund Management Laws and charged with the responsibility to
oversee the distribution of available resources to each arm of
government.

Membership of SAAC will reflect the template of the FAAC as
obtainable at the federal level.

In addition, every State Commissioner of Finance and State
Accountant General shall on a monthly basis furnish the Committee
with the revenue performance of the State within a stipulated
timeline not exceeding seven days after each FAAC meeting.

“Based on the revenue receipt, evaluations and the needs of each
arm, the committee shall work out an appropriate budget release
based on the Appropriation for each Arm of Government for that
year”

The Memorandum of Action also stated that every state shall
enact Funds Management Laws for their state judiciary and state
legislature, which will grant each arm the power to manage its
capital and recurrent expenditure in accordance with the provisions
of Sections 6(5)(a) – (i), 81(3), 121(3) & Item 21(e) of the Third
Schedule of the Constitution of the country and other relevant
laws.

It said that capital expenditure shall include purchase of
vehicles, and office equipment, construction of Legislative
Buildings, renovations, repairs, maintenance and other
incidentals.

*Unions to call off strike after receipt of
allocation

State governors and the leadership of the Judiciary Staff Union
of Nigeria (JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria
(PASAN) have finally entered into agreement on the modalities and
timelines for the commencement of full financial autonomy for
various arms of government at the state level.

The deal was brokered by the committee on the implementation of
financial autonomy for the state legislature and judiciary arms of
government led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris
Ngige.

Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting with the
unions in Abuja which ended late last night, Ngige said that an
agreement had been signed on the implementation of full financial
autonomy for the state judiciary and legislative arms of
government.

He described the event as historic coming after several attempts
and failures to implement the constitutional provision by
successive governments.

He said: “At the end of the tortuous journey we had undertaken
this evening , we have signed an agreement, not a Memorandum of
Action as such but a framework for each of the state governments to
grant autonomy to their state legislature and judiciary. As I said
earlier the governors have studied this document and they are in
agreement with it. “So by Monday or Tuesday, we are going trigger
off the section B and D which says governments of the respective
states shall credit the accounts of the legislative and Judicial
arms or government with a pro-rata amounts due to each arms of
government under the 2021 appropriation law,” he said.

Among the signatories to the document are: Ekiti State Governor
and Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi,
the Sokoto state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (for the
governors); and the representatives of the unions, including Ngige
who signed as a witness to the agreement.

According to the document containing agreement obtained, all
states are required to pass and assent to the Funds Management Law
and the state House of Assembly Service Commission Law as well as
put in place implementation structures within a time-frame not
exceeding 45 days from the date of signing this document.

The agreement which has the input and recommendations from all
the parties, such the governors, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and
JUSUN and the leadership of the parliamentary workers is expected
to be signed later by the governors and the leadership of the two
unions.

The agreement stated that various Fund Management Laws should
mandate the State Accountants General to release appropriated funds
directly to each arm as statutory transfers beginning with the next
federal allocation.

The two unions had insisted that they only call off their
industrial action once the states transfers funds from the next
federal allocation directly to the accounts of the judiciary and
legislative arms.

Under the agreement, there will also be a State Account
Allocation Committee (SAAC) to be given legislative backing in the
various Fund Management Laws and charged with the responsibility to
oversee the distribution of available resources to each arm of
government.

Membership of SAAC will reflect the template of the FAAC as
obtainable at the federal level.

In addition, every State Commissioner of Finance and State
Accountant General shall on a monthly basis furnish the Committee
with the revenue performance of the State within a stipulated
timeline not exceeding seven days after each FAAC meeting.

“Based on the revenue receipt, evaluations and the needs of each
arm, the committee shall work out an appropriate budget release
based on the Appropriation for each Arm of Government for that
year”

The Memorandum of Action also stated that every state shall
enact Funds Management Laws for their state judiciary and state
legislature, which will grant each arm the power to manage its
capital and recurrent expenditure in accordance with the provisions
of Sections 6(5)(a) – (i), 81(3), 121(3) & Item 21(e) of the Third
Schedule of the Constitution of the country and other relevant
laws.

It said that capital expenditure shall include purchase of
vehicles, and office equipment, construction of Legislative
Buildings, renovations, repairs, maintenance and other
incidentals.