From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Kogi state chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has declared an indefinite strike action against the backdrop of accumulated salary arrears running into six months.
Kogi state has been in the news in recent times over agitations by staff of the third arm of government in the state due to non- payment of salaries and other emoluments.
The crises took a different dimension when the state government proposed a pay parade for civil servants in the state which was not acceptable to the union which insisted on financial autonomy of the judiciary.
The leadership of the union has been battling the state government on compliance with a 2014 federal high court judgment that mandated each state government to respect section 121(3) of the constitution that stipulates the financial independence of state judiciaries.
Failure of both Niger and Kogi state government’s to comply with the judgment compelled JUSUN to seek a garnishee order, which secured against the two states’ bankers recently.
While the garnishee order is suspected to have been flaunted by Kogi state government the union has declared the strike action in reaction to the government’s refusal to release judiciary’s subventions from which salaries are paid.
Its leadership said its members can no longer continue to bear the hardship as their families, particularly children, were being driven from schools for non- payment of school fees even as they are also contending with the problems of feeding and accommodation.
A visit to some of the courts in the state indicated a total compliance with the unions’ directive as all the courts in the state were under lock and keys
It would be recalled that the Judiciary of Kogi state has been funded by the state through an edict of 1993 that ensures the monthly payment of subvention to the institution.
On the screening of staff, JUSUN made reference to the halt button screening of 1993 which, excluded the judiciary as an independent arm and others conducted by subsequent governments while pointing out that the judicial service commission has the mandate to recruit, promote, investigate and punish any staff found wanting.
