Courts shut as judiciary workers strike continues

Federal High Court, Abuja gate during the strike action

The indefinite strike embarked on by members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria entered its second day on Tuesday with all courts in the Federal Capital Territory remaining shut.

Officials of JUSUN were seen at the courts’ gates, which were  firmly locked by their leaders.

Unlike the situation on Monday when some judges of the Federal High Court were allowed into the court premises because of a seminar organised for them by the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, nobody  had  access into any of the courts on Tuesday.

A JUSUN official, who spoke  with one our correspondents at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, said the strike would continue until the union’s demands  were  met.

JUSUN embarked on the strike over the non-implementation of the Consolidated Salary Structure for judiciary workers.

CONJUSS will raise the minimum pay package in the judiciary sector from N17,000 to N35,000 monthly.

It was gathered that while  state governments have commenced implementing the new salary scheme, the Federal Government has not agreed to pay.

The JUSUN official said, “All the stakeholders met, we agreed on this and the agreement was forwarded to the states. But the funny thing is, while the states have started implementing it, the federal is not doing  so.

“This strike is to press home the fact that implementation of CONJUSS must be across board.”

However, there were indications in Abuja on  Tuesday  that relevant officials of the Federal Government  were  discussing with JUSUN in a bid to resolve the stalemate.

The Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr. Sunday Olorundahunsi, had on Monday appealed to the judiciary workers to call off the strike.

The situation in  Enugu State was  not different from that of Abuja. According to the News Agency of Nigeria,  gates leading in and out of the Federal, Appeal and Industrial courts in the state were under lock and key.

Some workers and lawyers were seen loitering outside the premises of the courts while  security operatives  monitored the situation with a view to forestalling any form of violence.

Some of the people who spoke with NAN expressed concern over the possible impact the strike would have on the judiciary.

Mrs. Edith Idike, a plaintiff, said the strike would stall  judgment on  her case scheduled to hold this month.

But  judicial activities were going on at the Enugu State High and Magistrate courts as they were in session .

An official of the  high court, who requested anonymity, said the courts were not part of the action .

“I do not think we will join because it is for the Federal Government courts. But if we are called upon to join, we would gladly do so   in solidarity with them to help press home their cause,’’ he said.

THE PUNCH