A Lagos lawmaker, Victor Akande, on Wednesday called for urgent dialogue among stakeholders to end the ongoing strike by the judicial workers.
Akande made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He added that dialogue would forestall a breakdown of law and order.
NAN reports that the judicial workers, under the auspices of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), embarked on the strike on April 6.
The labour leaders called out the strike over allegation of failure by the state governments to implement the financial autonomy for the Judiciary.
Akande, Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Public Petitions and LASIEC, said the leadership of JUSUN and state governors needed to embrace the alternative dispute resolution.
The lawmaker, who is representing Ojo Constituency I in the Assembly, urged the striking workers to a cease-fire to prevent the escalation of crimes.
He also stressed the need for the protection of the fundamental human rights of the citizens, which the strike might hinder.
“It is incumbent on all stakeholders in this struggle to sit at the roundtable and discuss before the strike leads to the breakdown of the law and order.
“I appeal to the striking judicial workers to look inwards and let us explore the alternative to dispute resolution as judiciary normally says and encourages.
“This is what the judiciary also advocates.
“We should explore this so that we can move forward.
“Let us explore an alternative to dispute resolution and let there be peace,’ Akande, who is also a legal practitioner, said.
He pointed out that the constitution was clear about freedom of association and the financial autonomy of the judiciary.
“Judicial workers want autonomy to ease their work and for seamless administration of Justice.
“We always complain about the delay in the dispensation of Justice.
“Why can’t we just support them so that development will be holistic among the three tiers of government? Judiciary must be allowed to perform,’’ Akande said. (NAN)
