Judicial workers end eight-month strike

THE Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, has resolved the eight-month strike embarked upon by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) over pay and welfare.

The judicial workers had undertaken the action follow a directive from their national body which affected all states of the federation, including Abuja.

The industrial action began January 2 over “the non-compliance of the implementation of the financial autonomy of the judiciary which Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was duly signed by distinguished authorities but reneged.”

Another MoU signed in the Executive Chambers of the Governor’s Office by the Head of Service, Ekpenyong Henshaw on behalf of the state government and the National Treasurer of JUSUN, Jimoh Musa Alonge, who represented the National President of the union, Mustapha Maruan Adamu s, ended the impasse in the state.

In his remarks, Governor Ayade expressed appreciation to members and leadership of the national and state chapter of JUSUN for their understanding and assured that he will keep his own side of the bargain, promising to set up a committee that will work out the modalities of implementing the provisions of the MoU. “With the signing of this MoU, I owe you a responsibility, a duty to keep our own side of the bargain,” the governor said, adding that he has also received a letter from the staff demanding the implementation of the consolidated salary for judicial workers in the state which is still being studied.”

Ayade said the signing of the agreement and subsequent suspension of the strike action by JUSUN represented victory for the common man and those who have been remanded in prisons custody for so long without trial and the young lawyers whose practice had been checkmated for more than eight months in the state.