After four months strike, Kogi judicial workers set to resume April 29

Four months later, the Kogi State branch of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), has suspended a strike it embarked on in December 2018.

The judicial workers went on the industrial action following a disagreement with the executive arm of the Kogi State Government on proposed screening to audit its workforce.

JUSUN announced the strike suspension, which will take effect from Monday 29th April, in a statement issued after an emergency meeting on Sunday, in Lokoja, the state capital.
The statement titled: “Suspension of Strike” was signed by Comrades Emmanuel Waniko and Sule Suberu, Chairman and Assistant Secretary respectively.

It read: “The union wishes to sincerely appreciate the members for their patriotism, resilience and their absolute support to the course of this struggle for the past four months in the face of untold hardship.

“Fellow members, as you all know, various mediators, including the Kogi State Elders Forum (KSEF), traditional rulers, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasir Islam (JNI) and other government representative agents, waded into, but could not resolve, as the union and the government could not reach consensus.
“However, as you must have heard, the National Judicial Council (NJC), in their quest to resolve the impasse, sent a sub-committee to the state, and among other things, was able to wade into the matter with the view for amicable resolution.
“Among other things arrived at are as follows: That the strike embarked upon on the 11th December, 2018 by Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, Kogi State branch, be suspended to give room for further deliberation.
“That a committee be set up between the executive and the judiciary to work out the modalities for the payment of salary arrears.

“JUSUN has considered the NJC as the apex body that regulates the conduct and administration of the judiciary in Nigeria, and therefore has confidence in the council, that the matter has finally been put to rest.
“Also, in consultation with other sister associations in the Kogi State j udiciary, i.e the Magistrates’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Association of Inspectors and Area Court Judges (IAJA), are also in agreement with JUSUN.