JUSUN to workers: Nothing comes easy in Nigeria — endure strike until governors comply

The Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has asked workers to remain resolute on the nationwide strike until their demands are met.

The union had, on April 6, directed all its members across the federation to shut down all courts to demand financial autonomy for the judiciary.

Speaking with NAN on Wednesday, Emmanuel Abioye, deputy president of the union, said although it is not a thing of joy to see workers remain at home, calling off the strike without a significant result will be pointless.

“Our members should just hold on and endure the more because it takes endurance to achieve what we need to achieve. Nothing comes easy, especially in Nigeria,” he said.

“Although the system ought to be allowed to work, unfortunately, we have found ourselves in this situation.

“We plead with them to exercise some patience. It is not our joy that people should stay at home without working. Very soon, by the grace of God, we shall sing a victory song.

“This strike has generated a lot of public interest. As a matter of fact, some other associations have shown interest. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has shown interest, and there is no way we can do anything without working in synergy with the NBA.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has signified interest as well and there is nothing we can do now without synergy with the NLC.

“So, it is already in the public domain. Even people are calling us to say that if we should suspend the strike without achieving tangible result, we have disappointed them; how much more our members.”

Abioye said the pledge of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to implement financial autonomy by the end of May will not be taken seriously until the implementation is carried out.

“The development with the governors is not very clear except for the statement that was made by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) chairman, governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state,” he said.

“It is in the public domain that he said that they are going to begin the implementation of the financial autonomy for the judiciary by this month, May.

“We took that promise with a pinch of salt. Because the truth of the matter is that before now, we have been receiving promises which some have even tagged to be political statements.

“The reality is that since January 13, 2014, we got the judgment which ought to have been executed since that time, in addition, to make clear the provision of the constitution that the autonomy should be given to the state judiciaries in line with Section 121 (3), Section 81 (3) and Section 162(9).

“So since that time up till now, we went on strike 2015, nothing was done. All these promises upon promises revealed to us that the governors are not ready to do anything.

“Except it is done, all these promises will be taken with a pinch of salt.”