NBA Chairman appeal to JASUN to call off strike

Mr Akpadiaha Ebitu, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Eket branch has appealed to the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), to call off their strike.
Ebitu made the appeal in an interview with the newsmen in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

According to him, the Judiciary workers should call off the strike while the Union meets with the Federal and State Government to open up discussions in order to end the strike.

He said that there should be reason for the parties involved to agree and resolved the “avoidable friction’’ and end the ongoing strike. 

He advised the branch chairmen of states to dialogue with respective Chief Judges and State Governors in order to reconcile the issues on ground.
The Chairman condemned the strike action embarked upon by judicial workers, saying that the judiciary should not go on strike in order to enforce court judgment.

“You do not go on strike to enforce court judgment. It is very clear on how to enforce court judgment.
“If there is a civil disobedient to a valid court order, there is a way to enforce it, It should not be strike,’’ he said. 

Ebitu said that the current strike embarked upon by JUSUN was illegal.
“As a Lawyer, I appeal to have some problem of judgment in favour of JUSUN, agreed constitutionally speaking Judiciary is entitled to independent and detached from the control of other arms of government.
“Constitutionally speaking judiciary as the arms of the government cannot send its own budget directly whether at the federal or state level to the legislature for approval.

“It is the constitution that gives the president and the respective governance in the beginning of the fiscal year to come up with the budget and present to the legislature for approval.

“And for it to pass through law for them to act on, it therefore means, the judiciary will have to prepare their own budget estimation and still handover to the Executive.
“And the executives will incorporate in the state or National budget and present,’’ he said.

He said that the Executive should allow the judiciary to execute their programmes and projects without interference of the government at all level.
“The only area of agreement I have, is that since constitution provides for independent of the judiciary, the executive should allow the judiciary to execute their programmes and projects.

“So that the judiciary can directly acquire whatever thing they want to acquire independently without interference of the executives,’’ he said.
Our Correspondent reports that the strike embarked upon by the judicial workers in the country had affected activities at high courts and magistrates’ courts in Eket and the country.

He said that government at all level should allow judiciary to be independent in order to ensure smooth functioning of the courts.
According to him, the governments should pay what is due to judiciary directly.

“What is due to the judiciary should be paid to them directly in order to do whatever thing they want to do.

“That should entirely be the business of the judiciary as against the position where the government will want judiciary to be dependent on them,’’ Ebitu said.

According to him, Nigeria is such a country, we are still cannot understand that simple things that should not bring any frictions to become an issue.
“If the federal government and the state government agreed and allow judiciary to be independent, there will be no need for this friction,’’ Ebitu said.
He however, said that the strike might delay the forthcoming general elections come Feb 14. in the country.

Our Correspondent recalled that the judgment restrained the Federal Government and the 36 state governors from holding on to funds meant for the judiciary.