Strike: Benue Judiciary Not On First-Line Charge – JUSUN Counters Finance Commissioner

Benue State judiciary is not on first-line charge, the workers’
union has said, countering a claim by the state’s Commissioner for
Finance, David Olofu.

Mr Olofu had told our reporter that the state’s judiciary was on
first-line charge, in his reaction to a PREMIUM TIMES’ report which
turned the spotlight on the handling of the judiciary’s salaries in
Benue State and three others.

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) , which recently
ended an over-two-month-old strike, had accused the state’s
governor, Samuel Ortom, and his counterparts in Plateau, Kaduna,
and Bayelsa States, of withholding or deducting the judiciary’s
salaries.

JUSUN had embarked on a nationwide strike on April 6 to press
for the implementation of constitutional provision placing the
judiciary on first-line charge in the budgets of the various
states.

Placing the judiciary on the first-line charge as demanded by
the union will enable it to receive its funds directly from the
Federation Account and ultimately make it independent of the
executive arm of government.

After a series of meetings with officials and an agreement
signed with the state governors, the union, on June 9, suspended
the strike which had crippled courts across the country for 64
days.

The courts finally reopened on Monday.

In its communique announcing the suspension of the strike, JUSUN
accused four states, including Benue, of allegedly withholding or
deducting the salaries of judiciary workers.

Recall that PREMIUM TIMES got across to each of the states,
consisting of Benue, Plateau, Kaduna and Bayelsa, to react to
JUSUN’s claim.

When contacted by our reporter, Benue State’s finance
commissioner, Mr Olofu, declined to speak on the issue, but when
pressed further, told our reporter to “ask the Chief Judge, (Benue
State) if the judiciary’s salaries are being withheld or not.”

Following our report on the JUSUN’s claim which reflected the
reactions and attempts by our reporter to get the comments of the
representatives of the four states, Mr Olofu, called our reporter
to say, “I meant to say that the judiciary, since we came on board,
has been receiving their allocations as first-line charge.”

But the chairperson of the Benue State chapter of JUSUN, Aba
Terlumun, denied the commissioner’s claim.

“Mr Olofu’s claim is only on paper,” Mr Terlumun told our
reporter in a phone interview.

The union leader lamented that the judicial arm of government
was in dire financial straits in the state.

He said, “We have not been paid till now. Now we are approaching
another FAAC (Federal Account Allocation Committee) meeting, yet we
have not been paid our salaries for the month of May.

“The overhead fund for the daily running of the judiciary is not
being paid. It’s painful.”

He said the efforts by the union to meet with the finance
commissioner and the governor to find a solution to the crisis had
been futile.

“It is only the Accountant General of the state that gives us an
audience as to what efforts he is making at his end towards getting
the judiciary paid.

“The assertion that Benue state judiciary is on first-line
charge is only on paper,” Mr Terlumun said.

He added, “The Chief Judge has nothing to do with salaries of
judiciary workers. It is the Chief Registrar that receives the
alert of payment and onward disbursement to workers.”

A top official of the Benue State judiciary , who asked not to
be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, also
denied the claim that the state judiciary was already on a
first-line charge.

The official said the “overhead” released to the state for the
daily running of the judiciary “has been irregular and meagre.”

“So, if anyone says we are being placed on a first line charge,
the person is lying!” the official said, adding, “We don’t know
when we will receive our May salary.”

Another official , who also pleaded not to be named, said, “The
payment of overheads is not regular.”

He said with 23 judges, two chief registrars, and a number of
magistrates, chief magistrates, and directors, the judiciary
usually finds it hard to cope with its financial constraints.

“The money is between N13 million and N15 million,” he said.

He added, “The overhead is used to run offices; from call cards,
cable television subscriptions, sitting allowances, traveling
expenses of judges, vehicle repairs and so many other official
responsibilities.

“Sometimes, for two months, it won’t be given. Then the
government would skip and pay for the third month.”

All efforts to speak with the Benue State Commissioner for
Finance, Mr Olofu, were unsuccessful as calls placed to his phone
since Monday rang out.

As of the time of filing this report on Tuesday, Mr Olofu had
not responded to a text message sent to his phone requesting his
comment on the counter-claims of JUSUN and the judiciary
officials.

Benue State judiciary is not on first-line charge, the workers’
union has said, countering a claim by the state’s Commissioner for
Finance, David Olofu.

Mr Olofu had told our reporter that the state’s judiciary was on
first-line charge, in his reaction to a PREMIUM TIMES’ report which
turned the spotlight on the handling of the judiciary’s salaries in
Benue State and three others.

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) , which recently
ended an over-two-month-old strike, had accused the state’s
governor, Samuel Ortom, and his counterparts in Plateau, Kaduna,
and Bayelsa States, of withholding or deducting the judiciary’s
salaries.

JUSUN had embarked on a nationwide strike on April 6 to press
for the implementation of constitutional provision placing the
judiciary on first-line charge in the budgets of the various
states.

Placing the judiciary on the first-line charge as demanded by
the union will enable it to receive its funds directly from the
Federation Account and ultimately make it independent of the
executive arm of government.

After a series of meetings with officials and an agreement
signed with the state governors, the union, on June 9, suspended
the strike which had crippled courts across the country for 64
days.

The courts finally reopened on Monday.

In its communique announcing the suspension of the strike, JUSUN
accused four states, including Benue, of allegedly withholding or
deducting the salaries of judiciary workers.

Recall that PREMIUM TIMES got across to each of the states,
consisting of Benue, Plateau, Kaduna and Bayelsa, to react to
JUSUN’s claim.

When contacted by our reporter, Benue State’s finance
commissioner, Mr Olofu, declined to speak on the issue, but when
pressed further, told our reporter to “ask the Chief Judge, (Benue
State) if the judiciary’s salaries are being withheld or not.”

Following our report on the JUSUN’s claim which reflected the
reactions and attempts by our reporter to get the comments of the
representatives of the four states, Mr Olofu, called our reporter
to say, “I meant to say that the judiciary, since we came on board,
has been receiving their allocations as first-line charge.”

But the chairperson of the Benue State chapter of JUSUN, Aba
Terlumun, denied the commissioner’s claim.

“Mr Olofu’s claim is only on paper,” Mr Terlumun told our
reporter in a phone interview.

The union leader lamented that the judicial arm of government
was in dire financial straits in the state.

He said, “We have not been paid till now. Now we are approaching
another FAAC (Federal Account Allocation Committee) meeting, yet we
have not been paid our salaries for the month of May.

“The overhead fund for the daily running of the judiciary is not
being paid. It’s painful.”

He said the efforts by the union to meet with the finance
commissioner and the governor to find a solution to the crisis had
been futile.

“It is only the Accountant General of the state that gives us an
audience as to what efforts he is making at his end towards getting
the judiciary paid.

“The assertion that Benue state judiciary is on first-line
charge is only on paper,” Mr Terlumun said.

He added, “The Chief Judge has nothing to do with salaries of
judiciary workers. It is the Chief Registrar that receives the
alert of payment and onward disbursement to workers.”

A top official of the Benue State judiciary , who asked not to
be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, also
denied the claim that the state judiciary was already on a
first-line charge.

The official said the “overhead” released to the state for the
daily running of the judiciary “has been irregular and meagre.”

“So, if anyone says we are being placed on a first line charge,
the person is lying!” the official said, adding, “We don’t know
when we will receive our May salary.”

Another official , who also pleaded not to be named, said, “The
payment of overheads is not regular.”

He said with 23 judges, two chief registrars, and a number of
magistrates, chief magistrates, and directors, the judiciary
usually finds it hard to cope with its financial constraints.

“The money is between N13 million and N15 million,” he said.

He added, “The overhead is used to run offices; from call cards,
cable television subscriptions, sitting allowances, traveling
expenses of judges, vehicle repairs and so many other official
responsibilities.

“Sometimes, for two months, it won’t be given. Then the
government would skip and pay for the third month.”

All efforts to speak with the Benue State Commissioner for
Finance, Mr Olofu, were unsuccessful as calls placed to his phone
since Monday rang out.

As of the time of filing this report on Tuesday, Mr Olofu had
not responded to a text message sent to his phone requesting his
comment on the counter-claims of JUSUN and the judiciary
officials.