Court activities were, on Tuesday, paralysed in Osun as members of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN ) in the state embarked on industrial action.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the strike was in compliance with directives issued by the national body of JUSUN over non-implementation of financial autonomy by government.
A NAN correspondent, who moved round Osogbo, the state capital, observed that the High Court, Customary Court of Appeal, National Industrial Court and Federal High Court were all locked up by the union.
The JUSUN Chairman in Osun, Mr Kunle Eludire, who spoke with newsmen in Osogbo, said that the financial autonomy being demanded by the union was for the benefit of judiciary workers.
Eludire noted that an executive order had been issued by President Muhammadu Buhari since March 20, 2020 for the implementation of the financial autonomy, adding, however, that this had not been carried out.
He said; “JUSUN gave a 21-day ultimatum to state governments to implement the act, which started from March 13 and ended on April 5.
“A decision was reached in Abuja by JUSUN on the 21-day ultimatum for the stakeholders involved to implement the financial autonomy.
“The ultimatum expired on Monday and that’s why we have now embarked on an indefinite strike, as directed by the national headquarters of JUSUN in Abuja.”
According to him, the union is asking for full implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary, in accordance with the presidential directive.
He called on judiciary workers to stay at home, pending further directives from the national secretariat of the union.
NAN reports that few workers found lobbying around the court premises were chased away by union leaders, while all the gates leading to the courts were locked.
The State Secretary of the union, Mr Idris Adeniran, called for an urgent step to resolve the issue which had led to the industrial action and closure of courts nationwide.
Adeniran appealed to all the stakeholders involved in the implementation of the stakeholders involved in the implementation of the financial autonomy to act fast in the general interest of judiciary workers. (NAN)
