The national secretariat of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) Tuesday expressed shock over report by Nasarawa State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on purported reinstatement of 21 members of the union sacked for participating in the ongoing industrial action.
National president of JUSUN, Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu, in a statement in Abuja, said though the union thanked the governor of Nasarawa state, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd) and other stakeholders for their intervention to see to the end of the crisis, “the CJ cannot talk about reinstatement with conditions considered not just stringent but also uncivilised”.
Comrade Marwan, who expressed dismay that his Lordship the Chief Judge, Suleiman Dikko is claiming a victim, said “the CJ’s alleged attack is shifting public attention from the real issue that led to the industrial action in the first place.”
According to him, the strike which had crippled activities at the state judiciary for eleven months was avoidable if the Chief Judge had arrested the situation from the onset.
He said, rather than dwelling on the allegation of assaulting him, the Chief Judge should step aside and allow someone else to preside over the JSC on the matter since he is an interested party, and so cannot be judge over his matter.
Marwan said, “The crop of the issue is the alleged deductions in salaries and grade levels of staff of High Court of Justice, Lafia and the refusal of the management to implement the report of the committee to investigate the issue put in place by the Nasarawa State Judicial Service Commission.
“The 9-member committee then included Yusuf Shehu Uman as the Attorney General/Commissioner of Justice then served as the chairman, Yusuf Yakubu as members, Hon. A A Koto, Habila Usman, Comrade Solomon Iyigulu, Comrade Musa Lukumbogo, Comrade Ibrahim Ogoshi , David N Ayele and Ramatu Idris served as secretary of the committee.
The committee recommended that, “to set the record straight and restore what may have been lost by staff of the High Court of Justice as a result of the re-grading exercise, the management should implement the four arrears of annual increment across board for all staff. This should be implemented in two instalments, that is, June and November 2018.
“The committee submitted her report in May 2018 and up till November same year when the union after series of ultimatum went on strike, nothing was done to dialogue with workers.
“Even after the union proceeds on strike, the management didn’t deem it fit to dialogue with them. I am glad my lord said non member of union executive in the state was among those that attack him.”
The failure of the management of the High Court of Justice, Lafia to implement the recommendation of the JSC on the matter led to the avoidable strike and protest by workers in the state.
Speaking further, Marwan said the emergency meeting of the National Executive Council meeting is summoned for November 2, 2019 to deliberate on the next line of action.
