JUSUN strike: Courts may reopen next week, says Ngige

Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, has expressed optimism that courts and state assemblies will reopen next week, following the resolution reached with the striking workers in the sectors.

JUSUN had, on April 6, embarked on a nationwide strike in protest of the non-implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary.

There is also an ongoing strike by parliamentary workers who are seeking financial autonomy for state legislatures.

Addressing journalists at the end of a closed-door meeting between the government and members of both unions on Friday in Abuja, Ngige said all parties were able to reach a positive agreement.

Ngige said Kayode Fayemi and Aminu Tambuwal, governors of Ekiti and Sokoto, respectively, have on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, appended their signatures on the agreement which was reached on May 20.

According to the minister, with what was achieved at the meeting, the courts and state assemblies will re-open next week.

“Today, we met with the unions in a small dialogue to dot the i’s and cross the t’s in the agreement which we agreed on May 20,” he said.

“Right now, we expect the unions to go back to their members and give them a final briefing on what we have achieved today.

“And with this achievement of today, we are hopeful that by next week, the chambers of our courts and the doors of the state assemblies will be open for business activities.”

He commended the unions for the efforts put in place in the final round of the dialogue, adding that modalities that were not very clear have been sorted out to the satisfaction of both sides.

Commenting on the development, Emmanuel Abisoye, JUSUN’s deputy president, said he expects all the parties to fulfil their part of the agreement.

Also, Mohammed Usman, president of PASAN, expressed optimism that all stakeholders will do the needful within the shortest possible period to see that the workers in the state legislatures return to work.