Nigeria Content Online

For the second time
in the year, Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Oyo State, began
a fresh strike action, locking out lawyers, litigants, and other
members of the public who have businesses in the court premises
yesterday.

Jelili Obisesan,
state chairman of the union, said they were withdrawing their servicers
due to the insincerity of the state government on the agreement reached
with them late last year on the controversial Consolidated Judicial
Salary Structure (CONJUSS).

Like the equally
controversial Teachers’ Salary Structure for the state’s public primary
and secondary school, most states have started implementing the
CONJUSS, which the Oyo State government is yet to implement, even after
reaching agreement with the aggrieved judicial staff.

Before it called
off its two-month strike early this year, the state government signed a
memorandum of understanding with JUSUN leadership, promising to start
paying the special salaries by March.

It, however, defaulted, forcing the judicial workers to embark on a brief strike shortly after the appointed time expired.

Mr. Obisesan
informed that the strike then was suspended on May 4, following
intervention from some concerned members of the public, who vouched for
the government that it would honour the earlier agreement.

Another disappointment

“Lawyers and
leaders of thought in the state negotiated with the state government on
our behalf in order to see a lasting solution to the problem, but the
negotiation has produced no genuine results,” he said, adding that
Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala must listen to the union now and act before
the strike will be called off.

He added that they
were disappointed that the state government has failed once again to
fulfil its promise, making resumption of the suspended strike
inevitable.

The strike was
fully visibly effective at the premises of the state High Court and the
Magistrate’s Court, both in Ibadan, where placards with many
anti-government inscriptions were placed on the gate and sides of the
wall. Some of the inscriptions read, ‘Stop subjugating the third arm of
government, Oyo State Government’, ‘let us enjoy what other states are
enjoying’, ‘fulfill your word, Mr. Governor’, and ‘enough of deceits’.

One of the striking workers, said, “Since the state government had
declined to let the negotiation work, we have no option but to resume
our strike. This time around, the strike will be indefinite until the
state government sees reason. This time around, nobody is left to
negotiate with the state government again on our behalf.”