Understanding JUSUN strike

Judiciary is basically the court system of a country – the institution whereby justice is dispensed or administered. It is normally one of the arms of government established alongside with the Executive and the Legislature. The whole gamut of personnel consisting of judges and members of staff responsible for the administration of justice in a state may be seen as representing the court or judiciary. Their existence is very important in the political and administrative system of any nation, and is often regarded as the ultimate hope and protector of the rights of every man.

It has diverse functions which include interpreting the law and the constitution,  settling disputes, punishing offenders, protection of rights of citizens and more importantly, judicial review of government actions (in this case both the executive and legislative actions, and the federating units). A popular second republic Governor, the Late Lateef Jakande once asserted that “the Legislature may err; the executive may take the wrong decisions and implement it; but those errors, those wrong decisions can be corrected always by reference to the court of law.”

However, such court personnel responsible for coordinating and running day to day activities in the justice sector have felt the need for collective approach on labour issues which they find to be more rewarding than a single-man crusade. Hence, the need for the workers to come under a professional union to seek for their own betterment; thus, Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) was formed as one of the trade unions out of the lot in Nigeria.

As an affiliate of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), JUSUN has participated in the labour movement in Nigeria since the amalgamation of the Trade Unions in the 70s when the Federal government by its powers conferred on it by the Trade Unions (Central Organisation) Special Provisions Decree of 1976, appointed an administrator of Trade Unions affairs, assisted by four other experts with a charge to: take a step for the formation of a single central labour organisation to which shall be affiliated all trade unions in Nigeria; and take all steps necessary and encourage the formation whether by amalgamation of federation of existing trade unions.

At the end of the exercise, the Administrators came out with 42 unions of workers (JUSUN inclusive), streamlined along iIndustrial lines, and 28 associations of employers. At the apex of the pyramid is the new central labour organisation – the Nigerian Labour Congress (NlC) inaugurated on February 28, 1978.

Since there has been no constitutional means by which the judiciary could implement or execute the law either already unambiguously in existence or interpreted by the courts especially as it relates to its institutions of courts, JUSUN became the only alternative that compels compliance by the mighty executives. And since then, JUSUN has been part and parcel of the labour movement in Nigeria, and in particular, in the forefront of the battle for welfare of workers and financial independence of the nation’s judiciary.

Typical of such struggles in the past led to the implementation of Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure (CONJUSS) and recent legal actions taken by the union which led to January 14, 2014 judgment of the Federal High Court Abuja Coram judice, Ademola j., as he then was, abolishing the piece-meal funding of the state and federal courts by the executive arm of the government. The court held that funds meant for the judiciary should instead be disbursed directly to the heads of court and not to the executive arm of government.

The federal legislature and judiciary, have now to a large extent, been enjoying financial autonomy status as they receive their appropriated funds in bulk unlike their counterparts at the state levels who always get what the governors feel like releasing to them.

This time again, the national leadership of JUSUN in a circular dated April 1, ordered the shut down of various courts across the country as from Tuesday, April 6. JUSUN, have declared an indefinite nationwide strike to press home their demand for the financial autonomy of the judiciary.

In the circular signed by JUSUN’s General Secretary, I. M. Adetola, it directed all states and zonal heads of the union to comply with the strike. The union stated that it had at its last National Executive Meeting on March 13, 2021 in Abuja, issued a 21-day ultimatum to the government to implement the financial autonomy of the judiciary with a threat that “failure of which JUSUN will have no other option but to resume the suspended national strike action.”

Let me declare here that these courts as embodiment of Nigerian judiciary have not had the best in terms of freedom especially at states level – being subject many times to the whims and caprices of the other arms of government i.e the ‘mighty’ executive which have a lot of responsibilities that cover the whole spectrum of nationhood/statehood. This is especially so in the control of fund and expenditure of the states judiciary where judicial appointees invariably find it difficult to discharge their obligations without fear or favour, as the dictum, “he who pays the piper dictates the tune” has often proved to be true especially with the executive – judiciary relationship. The Executive arm of government is not superior to the judiciary neither is the legislature. They are of equal status governmental wise, and as such should be allowed to operate independently.

However, many countries including Nigeria, believing in the need for an independent judiciary, have had to take certain measures to preserve same. Undoubtedly, one of the guarantees for the independence of the judiciary comes from the wages/salaries of the judges which are not paid from the same source as other public servants. Judges salaries are paid from the consolidated fund. Such arrangement provides security of service and serves as a buffer against unnecessary intimidation and victimisation of judges.

President Muhammadu Buhari signed an Executive Order No.10 for the Implementation of the Financial Autonomy of State legislatures and state judiciaries based on powers conferred on him by section 5 of the Constitution 1999 (as amended) in on May 2020. The signing of the Executive Order by the President is expected to strengthen governmental institution at state level thereby balancing the principle of separation of powers especially between the Executive and Judiciary. The executive order No.10 is coming on the heels of State Executive Governors muzzling the appropriation of the budget of the States Judiciary, and undermining its performance.

However, these courts in Nigeria were established for the federation and as such, the remuneration, salaries and allowances of all judicial officers and staff of the courts have been placed at the doorstep of the Federal Government by the constitution.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) shall be responsible to collate all capital and recurrent expenditures of these courts from their various heads, make a consolidated budget and present it to the Budget Office. Section 84(7) of the Constitution provides that the recurrent expenditure of judicial offices in the Federation (in addition to salaries and allowances of the judicial officers mentioned in subsection (4) of this section) shall be a charge upon the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

While the substantial blame goes to the members of the executive in the administration of the states within the spirit of vertical and horizontal separation of power in the presidential federalism which we practise, the legislatures are to certain extent, also to be blamed.

Recently, the House of Representatives passed for second reading, the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to transfer the subject matter of minimum wage prescription from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List set out under the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The bill elicited movement and criticism from across the Labour and concerned Nigerians. Organised Labour considers this anti-workers bill an attempt by a few self-seeking and narrow-minded politicians to return Nigeria to the era of slave wages, servile work conditions and severe industrial crises. The unions maintained that the National Minimum Wage is the national benchmark minimum below which no employer of labour can pay a worker.

It was also captured in Article III subsection (d) of the ILO Philadelphia Declaration which demands all the nations of the world to pursue policies in regard to wages, earnings, hours and other conditions of work calculated to ensure a just share of fruits of progress to all, and a minimum living wage to all employed and in need of such protection.

It is now abandantly clear that the current nationwide JUSUN strike is not against the federal executive government, but the state Governors in their failure to comply with the executive order No. 10 on the independence of the judiciary, and against some members of the National Assembly in their blatant quest to devolve the Labour matter under the concurrent list.

I therefore support the struggle embarked upon by JUSUN against the attitude of states governments in this country on the independence of the judiciary, and by JUSUN throwing it weight against the attempt to remove the National Minumun Wages from the exclusive determination and preserve of the federal government. It is very sad that neither the Governors Forum, nor a state governor has responded to the legitimate demands of the Labour leaders – an evidence indicating their complicity in the imbroglio.

• Kala, of the Court of Appeal, sent this piece from Calabar.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Nigeria Is Where It Is Now Due To Leadership Of Family, Friends, Acquaintances Rather Than Ability To Deliver ― Jonathan

Former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has opined that Nigeria is where it is today because of leadership of family and friends, acquaintances rather than ability and capability to deliver.

I Slept With My 12-Yr-Old Daughter Because My Wife Is No Longer Attractive To Me, Man Tells Police

A 49-year-old man, Ubong Akpan, is now in net of the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly having carnal knowledge of his 12-year-old daughter.

Cryptocurrency: Understanding The Craze, Threat

ON Friday, February 6, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rocked the boat with a circular that inadvertently highlighted how popular cryptocurrency transactions have become among Nigerians in recent years, judging by… 

After Two Years, Daddy Freeze Apologises To Bishop Oyedepo
Daddy Freeze whose real name is Ifedayo Olarinde has apologised to Bishop Oyedepo who is the presiding bishop and founder of Living Faith Church aka Winners Chapel…