Nation
Judiciary Workers Shun FG’s Appeal, Continue Strike
Judiciary workers continued with their strike after talks with the Minister of Labour and Employment,, Chris Ngige, and other Federal Government officials failed on Monday.
The Federal Government on Monday, appealed to the striking workers’ union, the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to suspend its nationwide industrial action, which had paralysed activities in courts across the country.
It would be recalled that the union had on April 6 embarked on nationwide strike to protest the non-implementation of the financial autonomy of the nation’s judiciary.
Mr Ngige, made the appeal at a reconciliatory meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of the union in Abuja.
The minister reminded the striking judicial workers that like doctors and nurses, they were on essential duties and should not go on strike.
According to him, the country cannot make progress economically and socially, when the laws of the country are not enforced.
“You are important people and that is why we waited to see if there can be an in-house reconciliation with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
“But since progress was not made, we decided to exercise our mandate here as Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“Grant us peace and we are going to handle this matter in a way that do not lose sight of what you are pursuing. I will do a report on this meeting and forward to the President when he returns.
“I will make a commitment here. The Executive Order 10 and its application, granting autonomy to the judiciary which is topmost on your demand will be tackled because it is a constitutional issue.
“Even Governors owe their offices to the constitution. You don’t pick and choose what to obey . However, we must handle this matter with maturity and utmost patriotism,” Mr Ngige said.
He appealed to the striking judicial workers to resume work “so that when the judicial officers returned from Easter holidays, they would not meet the strike.”
He added that the ministry would approach the dispute in line with the labour laws of the country.
“You people are judicial workers and if any group of people will break the laws of the land, it should not be you.
“Even if we disagree here, we will certainly agree later on one thing, which is to call off the strike,” Mr Ngige said.
Speaking, a representative of the President of JUSUN, Marwan Adamu, said at the meeting that the union was guided by the constitution of the country in its action, stressing that democracy had to thrive on the Rule of Law.
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a federation and is guided by a constitution.
“However, we observed that the particular provision of the constitution that grants financial autonomy to the judiciary has never been obeyed as much as it should be, particularly Section 21(3) and Section 81(3),” he said.
According to him, “having agitated for so long for the needful to be done and it is not done, we went to court and got a judgment before 2014”.
“We are patient. We are not lawless people because we work in a sector where the Rule of Law guides our operations.
“But to our amazement since we went on strike in 2015, the government seems not to hear us until now,” he said.
Mr Adamu said that the union “believed so strongly that anything could happen without the Rule of Law and when there is the law of nature, life can be poor, solitary, brutish and nasty.”
At the meeting were representatives of the Solicitor General of Nigeria, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger/Delta Affairs, Eta Enang.
The meeting agreed to reconvene tomorrow, while the union leaders are due to meet with governors today.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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