The Chairman of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Kaduna State chapter, Murtala Aminu, has commended judiciary workers for their understanding and compliance with the ongoing industrial action by the union.
Aminu expressed the appreciation in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Friday.
He said that the courts would remain closed until government comply with the order on financial autonomy of the judiciary.
NAN report that the National leadership of JUSUN in a circular dated April 1, ordered the closure of courts nationwide as from April 6.
The order followed the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum to the government to implement full financial autonomy of the judiciary.
Aminu said he was impressed with the compliance level, and urged judiciary workers to continue to adhere to every directive of the union.
NAN correspondent who went round some courts in Kaduna, observed JUSUN officials at the entrance of various courts to monitor compliance.
NAN observed that the the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal, Sharia, Customary Magistrate and High Courts in the state were locked.
The chairman said that the union was forced to go for strike following the refusal of governors to comply with the Executive Order signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, granting financial autonomy to state legislature and judiciary.
“The autonomy we are fighting for is in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which makes the strike legal,” he said.
Aminu explained that President Muhammadu Buhari, had on May 22, 2020 signed the Executive Order granting financial autonomy to the legislature and judiciary in the 36 states of the country.
“Mr President issued Order 10 which categorically stated that whereas a state government refuse to remit what is due for the judiciary and State Assembly, the Attorney General of the Federation can.
“The Attorney General of the Federation as the chairman of that Committee on Implementation of Financial Autonomy should direct the Accountant General to deduct the money from the source and pay that to state judiciary.
“The Executive Order No. 10 made it mandatory for all states to include the allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“The order also mandates the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct from source amount due to the state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each state, in the case of states that refuse to implement the autonomy provision,” he said.
Aminu however said that the governors were yet to comply with the order, stressing that the strike will be indefinite until the governors comply.
“The strike will affect the masses but we are fighting for our constitutional right which we have been denied of by the government.”
He stressed that all courts in the state will remain closed until the government adhere to the order.
The chairman urged the Kaduna State Government to comply with the Executive Order for courts to resume.(NAN)
