Kogi CJ Pleads With Judiciary Workers, Urges Gov. Bello To Honour Agreements
The Chief Judge of Kogi State,
Hon. Justice Nasiru Ajanah, has pleaded with the state’s branch of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to sheath their sword while also urging the Governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to honour agreements reached with peace-brokers who have intervened in the judiciary-executive face-off.
The Chief Judge made the appeal when he received the report of the meeting held between the Judicial Service Commission and the consultant appointed by the executive to join with the JSC on the conduct of the biometric data capturing of judiciary workers in the state.
Justice Ajanah pleaded to JUSUN when told of the position held by the union during the course of the two-day meeting held at the conference room of the judiciary headquarters in Lokoja.
JUSUN had insisted that judiciary workers in the state would not participate in the biometric data capturing exercise until all the outstanding 11 months salaries of its members were cleared or the sum of N1.5b owed the judiciary that the National Industrial Court ordered the executive to pay was paid.
However, before making the appeal, Ajanah sought to know the position of the consultant and the representative of government on the knotty issue of judiciary subvention and the payment of salaries to workers. It was after he was told that it was agreed by all stakeholders at the meeting that the judiciary would handle its finances, as prescribed by the constitution and the JSC would coordinate the exercise that he in turn asked the union to give the executive the benefit of the doubt and allow the exercise to commence.
He disclosed that he was toeing the line of peace and equally urging the union to do the same in order to be dishonorable over the agreements reached with two national bodies in the country so that the state judiciary would be noted for maintaining its integrity.
Addressing the union, he said:
“Please recall that this crisis has caused the intervention of two notable national organs whose views and advices must be taken seriously in this country. They are the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Progressives Governors’ Forum. I appreciate that after the visit made by a subcommittee of the NJC, you heeded their advice to suspend your strike even when you were still been owed and knew not when you will be paid.
“Secondly, we arrived at this juncture by virtue of the intervention of the delegation of the Progressives Governors’ Forum led by its Chairman, His Excellency, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu, the Governor of Kebbi State. Other members of his delegation were their Excellences, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, the Governor of Yobe State and Alhaji Abubakar Muhammed, the immediate past Governor of Bauchi State.
“We had assured these groups when they sued for peace that we were going to bend backwards to accommodate their views. You have already demonstrated that readiness by making yourselves a part of this deliberation. You should therefore not be seen as a clog in the wheel of the window of opportunity to achieve the main objective of your struggles, the payment of your outstanding salaries and emoluments,” he cautioned.
On the judgment secured by the union and other matters between the union and the state government still pending in courts, Justice Ajanah stated that the union’s sensitivity to the plight of its members should be an overriding factor of consideration as advised by the NJC. He said under no condition should the judiciary be seen indulging in illegality but would always lead in encouraging and advocating for the observation of rule of law.
“In so far as we are all aware that the court has given judgment in your favour, the onus now rests on the defendants amongst who are us, the heads of your courts and the JSC. This effort, to my belief, is a step towards assuaging your sufferings and those of your families. You will agree with me that even the courts too have not in any way fared better during the period of this crisis but we must begin to find a way of resolving it. Even as we expect court processes to take their natural course, it is obvious that under no condition should the judiciary be seen to indulge in any form of illegality especially over court pronouncements. Instead, it must always lead in advocating and encouraging the observation of rule of law,” he said.
While elaborating further on the meetings he had with the groups that intervened, the Chief Judge was optimistic that the executive arm would not renege on the agreements just as he counseled the governor of the state on the need to honour the agreements reached.
He said: “It is going to be one full year that you last received your salary if at the end of this month of July we are unable to resolve this matter. It is in the spirit of this stark reality that I am also urging the executive to do the needful by honoring the agreements reached with these groups.
“We agreed that the commencement of the exercise would not in any way hamper the payment of your salaries and I want to believe that Governor Yahaya Bello will not renege on that. So, I am pleading with you people to let us give the government and this group this honour especially since the JSC would be carrying out the exercise which is in compliance with your agitation. If neither your account number nor your Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) would be required for the conduct of the exercise, I think that should be enough to assure you of the security of your salaries and that there would be no table payment of your salaries. I am therefore urging you to allow us to put this behind us once and for all.”
Justice Ajanah, who is also the chairman of the Judicial Service Commission, was represented at the meetings with the consultant and other stakeholders by the President of the Customary Court of Appeal of the state, Hon.
Justice Ibrahim Atadoga Shaibu, who chaired the sessions.
Justice Shaibu indicated in his report that it was vital for the Chief Judge to prevail on the union to allow the commencement of the exercise with the hope that the government will pay judiciary’s subventions to pay the workers’ arrears of salaries even while the exercise was ongoing.
The interactive meeting with the consultant had in attendance, the representatives of the management of the three courts in the state – the High Court, the Sharia Court of Appeal and the Customary Court of Appeal.
It also had the JUSUN leaders in attendance while the state executive arm of government was represented by the consultant, Mr.
Bello Abdulrazaq and the SSA to the Governor on ICT, Mr. Ismaila Umar. The government representatives also went with their report while the judiciary awaits government response on commencement date of the judiciary workers’ biometric data capturing exercise.
Thugs Attack Adavi, OKehi Labour Leaders Over Rejection Of Percentage Payment
Thugs suspected to be working for OKehi local government Administrator, Abdulraheem Ohiare and Adavi local government Administrator, Joseph Salami attacked labour leaders in the Councils on Monday and Tuesday over rejection of proposed percentage salary payment.
Sequel to the release of July allocation from the federal government directly to the 774 local government councils across the country, staffers of the 21 council areas in Kogi are demanding full payment against the percentage payment proposed by government.
Confluence Reporters gathered that the rejection of the percentage payment caused the mayhem in some of the local governments in Kogi state as the development had led to serious fracas between the labour leaders and authorities of the local council areas.
A source who wished to be anonymous said, "the thugs suspected to be working for Adavi local government Administrator, Hon. Joseph Salami attacked Adavi local government branch of NULGE/Medical and Health Workers Union leaving many with various degree of injuries", the said.
The union’s congress that was earlier scheduled to hold on Tuesday was aimed at discussing their non- payment of salary despite the release of allocation to the council, but was abruptly disrupted by the alleged orders of Adavi Local Government Administrator, Hon. Joseph Salami.
The thugs who were said to be armed with sticks and horse whips caused injuries to some union leaders including the Adavi branch NULGE Chairman.
Reacting, the Adavi NULGE chairman, Comrade Muhammed Yakubu Isah described the attack as very embarrassing, saying the union had passed a circular to suspend the congress in line with the local government administrator’s directive at the time of the attack.
Comrade Muhammed who said the union has reported the matter at the Adavi Divisional Police called on those in position of authority to govern with the fear of God.
He added that the union meant no harm as they have the right to converge to discuss their welfare.
On the other hand, the staffers of Okehi Local Government were on Monday chased out of their offices by suspected political thugs.
An eye witness disclosed that, "the thugs who were armed with guns, cutlasses and sticks, shot sporadically shouting, “where are those NULGE people” and “which non-sense congress in the secretariat.”
The source added that the workers who were gathered to hold a congress for routine briefing by their leaders quickly took to their hills to save their lives while others were reported to have sustained various degrees of injuries.
While reacting to the incident, both the Okehi local government NULGE branch chairman, Comrade Yakubu Suleiman Achimogu and his Medical /Health Workers Union counterpart, Comrade Ohuei Emmanuel, expressed shock over the unwarranted attack and disruption of a peaceful congress organized to brief workers who are anxious to know of issues relating to payment of their salaries.
According the union leaders, some of their executives have gone into hiding as a result of threats by the attackers to visit their individual home.
In a joint statement earlier issued on 3rd July, 2019 by Kogi Central Branch Union Forum and signed by the forum chairman of NULGE, NUT, NASU, MHWUN, NANNM and NUP, the forum thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for granting local governments financial autonomy
they had earlier expressed appreciation to governor Yahaya Bello for appending his approval to the NFIU directives.
The statement while calling for strict adherence to the NFIU guidelines, stressed the need to henceforth accord workers monthly salaries and allowances top priority.
The forum however, advocated for 100 per cent payment of their salaries and urged the Director of Local Government (DLGs) and Treasurers not to betray the welfare of workers.
(Kogi Reports)
Hon. Justice Nasiru Ajanah, has pleaded with the state’s branch of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to sheath their sword while also urging the Governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to honour agreements reached with peace-brokers who have intervened in the judiciary-executive face-off.
Justice Nasiru Ajanah
The Chief Judge made the appeal when he received the report of the meeting held between the Judicial Service Commission and the consultant appointed by the executive to join with the JSC on the conduct of the biometric data capturing of judiciary workers in the state.
Justice Ajanah pleaded to JUSUN when told of the position held by the union during the course of the two-day meeting held at the conference room of the judiciary headquarters in Lokoja.
JUSUN had insisted that judiciary workers in the state would not participate in the biometric data capturing exercise until all the outstanding 11 months salaries of its members were cleared or the sum of N1.5b owed the judiciary that the National Industrial Court ordered the executive to pay was paid.
However, before making the appeal, Ajanah sought to know the position of the consultant and the representative of government on the knotty issue of judiciary subvention and the payment of salaries to workers. It was after he was told that it was agreed by all stakeholders at the meeting that the judiciary would handle its finances, as prescribed by the constitution and the JSC would coordinate the exercise that he in turn asked the union to give the executive the benefit of the doubt and allow the exercise to commence.
He disclosed that he was toeing the line of peace and equally urging the union to do the same in order to be dishonorable over the agreements reached with two national bodies in the country so that the state judiciary would be noted for maintaining its integrity.
Addressing the union, he said:
“Please recall that this crisis has caused the intervention of two notable national organs whose views and advices must be taken seriously in this country. They are the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Progressives Governors’ Forum. I appreciate that after the visit made by a subcommittee of the NJC, you heeded their advice to suspend your strike even when you were still been owed and knew not when you will be paid.
“Secondly, we arrived at this juncture by virtue of the intervention of the delegation of the Progressives Governors’ Forum led by its Chairman, His Excellency, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu, the Governor of Kebbi State. Other members of his delegation were their Excellences, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, the Governor of Yobe State and Alhaji Abubakar Muhammed, the immediate past Governor of Bauchi State.
“We had assured these groups when they sued for peace that we were going to bend backwards to accommodate their views. You have already demonstrated that readiness by making yourselves a part of this deliberation. You should therefore not be seen as a clog in the wheel of the window of opportunity to achieve the main objective of your struggles, the payment of your outstanding salaries and emoluments,” he cautioned.
On the judgment secured by the union and other matters between the union and the state government still pending in courts, Justice Ajanah stated that the union’s sensitivity to the plight of its members should be an overriding factor of consideration as advised by the NJC. He said under no condition should the judiciary be seen indulging in illegality but would always lead in encouraging and advocating for the observation of rule of law.
“In so far as we are all aware that the court has given judgment in your favour, the onus now rests on the defendants amongst who are us, the heads of your courts and the JSC. This effort, to my belief, is a step towards assuaging your sufferings and those of your families. You will agree with me that even the courts too have not in any way fared better during the period of this crisis but we must begin to find a way of resolving it. Even as we expect court processes to take their natural course, it is obvious that under no condition should the judiciary be seen to indulge in any form of illegality especially over court pronouncements. Instead, it must always lead in advocating and encouraging the observation of rule of law,” he said.
While elaborating further on the meetings he had with the groups that intervened, the Chief Judge was optimistic that the executive arm would not renege on the agreements just as he counseled the governor of the state on the need to honour the agreements reached.
He said: “It is going to be one full year that you last received your salary if at the end of this month of July we are unable to resolve this matter. It is in the spirit of this stark reality that I am also urging the executive to do the needful by honoring the agreements reached with these groups.
“We agreed that the commencement of the exercise would not in any way hamper the payment of your salaries and I want to believe that Governor Yahaya Bello will not renege on that. So, I am pleading with you people to let us give the government and this group this honour especially since the JSC would be carrying out the exercise which is in compliance with your agitation. If neither your account number nor your Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) would be required for the conduct of the exercise, I think that should be enough to assure you of the security of your salaries and that there would be no table payment of your salaries. I am therefore urging you to allow us to put this behind us once and for all.”
Justice Ajanah, who is also the chairman of the Judicial Service Commission, was represented at the meetings with the consultant and other stakeholders by the President of the Customary Court of Appeal of the state, Hon.
Justice Ibrahim Atadoga Shaibu, who chaired the sessions.
Justice Shaibu indicated in his report that it was vital for the Chief Judge to prevail on the union to allow the commencement of the exercise with the hope that the government will pay judiciary’s subventions to pay the workers’ arrears of salaries even while the exercise was ongoing.
The interactive meeting with the consultant had in attendance, the representatives of the management of the three courts in the state – the High Court, the Sharia Court of Appeal and the Customary Court of Appeal.
It also had the JUSUN leaders in attendance while the state executive arm of government was represented by the consultant, Mr.
Bello Abdulrazaq and the SSA to the Governor on ICT, Mr. Ismaila Umar. The government representatives also went with their report while the judiciary awaits government response on commencement date of the judiciary workers’ biometric data capturing exercise.
Thugs Attack Adavi, OKehi Labour Leaders Over Rejection Of Percentage Payment
Thugs suspected to be working for OKehi local government Administrator, Abdulraheem Ohiare and Adavi local government Administrator, Joseph Salami attacked labour leaders in the Councils on Monday and Tuesday over rejection of proposed percentage salary payment.
Sequel to the release of July allocation from the federal government directly to the 774 local government councils across the country, staffers of the 21 council areas in Kogi are demanding full payment against the percentage payment proposed by government.
Confluence Reporters gathered that the rejection of the percentage payment caused the mayhem in some of the local governments in Kogi state as the development had led to serious fracas between the labour leaders and authorities of the local council areas.
A source who wished to be anonymous said, "the thugs suspected to be working for Adavi local government Administrator, Hon. Joseph Salami attacked Adavi local government branch of NULGE/Medical and Health Workers Union leaving many with various degree of injuries", the said.
The union’s congress that was earlier scheduled to hold on Tuesday was aimed at discussing their non- payment of salary despite the release of allocation to the council, but was abruptly disrupted by the alleged orders of Adavi Local Government Administrator, Hon. Joseph Salami.
The thugs who were said to be armed with sticks and horse whips caused injuries to some union leaders including the Adavi branch NULGE Chairman.
Reacting, the Adavi NULGE chairman, Comrade Muhammed Yakubu Isah described the attack as very embarrassing, saying the union had passed a circular to suspend the congress in line with the local government administrator’s directive at the time of the attack.
Comrade Muhammed who said the union has reported the matter at the Adavi Divisional Police called on those in position of authority to govern with the fear of God.
He added that the union meant no harm as they have the right to converge to discuss their welfare.
On the other hand, the staffers of Okehi Local Government were on Monday chased out of their offices by suspected political thugs.
An eye witness disclosed that, "the thugs who were armed with guns, cutlasses and sticks, shot sporadically shouting, “where are those NULGE people” and “which non-sense congress in the secretariat.”
The source added that the workers who were gathered to hold a congress for routine briefing by their leaders quickly took to their hills to save their lives while others were reported to have sustained various degrees of injuries.
While reacting to the incident, both the Okehi local government NULGE branch chairman, Comrade Yakubu Suleiman Achimogu and his Medical /Health Workers Union counterpart, Comrade Ohuei Emmanuel, expressed shock over the unwarranted attack and disruption of a peaceful congress organized to brief workers who are anxious to know of issues relating to payment of their salaries.
According the union leaders, some of their executives have gone into hiding as a result of threats by the attackers to visit their individual home.
In a joint statement earlier issued on 3rd July, 2019 by Kogi Central Branch Union Forum and signed by the forum chairman of NULGE, NUT, NASU, MHWUN, NANNM and NUP, the forum thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for granting local governments financial autonomy
they had earlier expressed appreciation to governor Yahaya Bello for appending his approval to the NFIU directives.
The statement while calling for strict adherence to the NFIU guidelines, stressed the need to henceforth accord workers monthly salaries and allowances top priority.
The forum however, advocated for 100 per cent payment of their salaries and urged the Director of Local Government (DLGs) and Treasurers not to betray the welfare of workers.
(Kogi Reports)
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