Following the suspension of the indefinite strike embarked upon by Kogi State branch of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) penultimate week, the Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Josiah Joe Majebi, has expressed disappointment with rumor mongers amongst staff even as he said that the funds belonging to both staff and the institution were too poisonous for him to either embezzle or misappropriate.
While also reassuring staff of his commitment to promoting staff welfare, he said staff of the state judiciary should rather appreciate the governor of the state, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for responding to their demand on minimum wage despite having earlier made provision for same which was unfortunately used to offset promotion arrears by his predecessors at a time when the government did not embark on nor gave approval for same.
The CJ who said the strike took him by surprise, having devoted most part of his months in office to pursuing it, and the fact that he was also bedridden at the time of the declaration of the strike, cautioned the union on being mindful of the efforts of the leadership of the judiciary in the management of the meager resources available to it and their undeniable effort at seeing that staff working conditions are improved.
Justice Majebi made these expressions in interactive sessions he had with staff which was concluded at the Magistrates’ courts complex in Lokoja yesterday. He met separately with the various organs of the institution including the management, representatives of the staff union, those of the Magistrates’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Inspectors and Area Court Judges’ Association (IAJA) before directly interacting with the staff of the headquarters and those at the Magistrates’’ courts complex.
According to the CJ, the state’s Council of Judges has been conversant with staff agitations and shares in their pains especially as occasioned by the adverse effect of the fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians. He however noted that the economic hardship does not warrant irresponsibility on the part of staff who threw caution to the winds in using the social media platforms meant to project the image and integrity of the institution to denigrate the leadership of the state, that of the institution and even that of the union. He warned that such immoral acts would no longer be condoned just as he ordered the Management of the institution to sanitize the platforms.
Expressing dismay on staff misconception over the amount released to the judiciary, he recounted how his predecessors misconstrued the addition of N40m to High Court subvention in December last year which was used to clear promotion arrears before government’s pronouncement of the implementation of minimum wage in February this year. While noting that the Sharia and Customary Courts of Appeal in the state were able to promptly comply with implementing the minimum wage for junior staff, it was difficult for the High Court to do same due to the disparity in staff strength and needs of the three courts. He said whereas the former had about 500 staff each, the later was about 2000 before it was bloated with more than 400 recruitments by his immediate predecessor.
He reiterated that since the advent of the present administration under his leadership he has, along with other heads of courts and the Council of Judges, been demonstrably committed to the improvement of staff welfare and the improvement of their working conditions and known to JUSUN.
Amongst the laudable policies emplaced since he assumed office are the introduction of Funds Disbursement Committee for the monthly distribution of balance of funds after payment of salary from the monthly subvention accruing to the High Court; the establishment of Directorates that have direct impact on staff’s human capital development like the Directorate of Training and Establishment; the revival of the Promotion and Evaluation Committee of the Judicial Service Commission; the restoration of Salary Advance Scheme; reforms in the staff Credit, Thrift and Cooperative Society to make it responsive to staff yearnings; ensuring that retiring staff are not shortchanged in their grade levels and the overall repositioning of the judiciary in the restoration of her corporate integrity.
He reminded staff that the present administration inherited numerous problems bordering on staff welfare which are being gradually tackled within the capacity of the jdiciary transparently. All staff representative organs within the institution – JUSUN, MAN, IAJA – were drafted into the Funds Disbursement Committee and have been part of sharing the amounts due to the High Court of Justice. He said that they are all conversant with the penurious and parlous state of the High Court was therefore no longer in doubt.
Along this line, judiciary leadership has equally been unrelenting in engaging the executive arm of government on all financial and other challenges confronting the judiciary arm and her staffers. Through these concerted efforts, approvals have been secured from government on some aspects that would substantially improve those areas that are critical to the administration of justice in the state when funded. He therefore thanked His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, his lieutenants, particularly the Attorney-General of the state, the Accountant-General and the Auditor-General, for all their efforts in ensuring that the industrial crisis was resolved within time.
To the CJ, reaching an understanding that led to the suspension of the strike before staff were paid the balance of the minimum wage for the month of June was unprecedented and he commended the delegation of the government and the leadership of the union for the truce. He said it was notable that the leadership of the union had confidence in the state delegation not to renege on agreement reached before payment of the minimum wage for the month of June.
It was an indication that the judiciary and the state would only be better served if such understandings are sustained and every party concerned are accepting and taking responsibilities without delay.
He therefore advised against being confrontational with the executive arm of government stressing that history has proven that dialogue and negotiations were more profitable than confrontation while also indicating that it would always be the path that the management of the judiciary would thread.
He said the government was only magnanimous to have considered the High Court for payment of the minimum wage after first paying it and his predecessors unknowingly committed it to paying promotion arrears before government pronounced the payment of minimum wage in February this year.
“I had the opportunity of telling JUSUN that government did not owe the judiciary because when my lord, Justice Olusiyi, came in he saw the need to have promotions effected.
As at that time, he was left with the sum of N16m after payment of salary and the monthly debt and claims was almost N60m. But he felt he should do promotion because people were due for retirement and would have retired on grade levels that they had originally out passed while in service and would have adversely affected their pension.
He said the union also requested that promotions be effected then without cash backing so that every staff would be on their appropriate levels and cadres and the retired CJ obliged.”
He said out of the N40m added to the subvention December last year, N29m was used for staff promotion while the remaining N11m was used to offset the allowances of Judges who were 22 in number then and whose salaries and allowances were last reviewed in 2007. He said aside that, High Court staff strength was bloated up to 400 while there was neither approval for promotions not recruitment.
“So by February when government commenced payment of the minimum wage, it was unknown to us that the earlier increment in our subvention was meant for the minimum wage but was used to settle promotions. And all through there was never any application for any other allocation to offset the minimum wage up to the time I was sworn in neither was there any approval for promotions from government” he said.
He however finally, assured staff of continuing to make their welfare a priority stating that he was equally aware of staff agitations over arrears of promotion, annual increment in salary, conversions, steps and Grade Levels but said they must first receive governmental approval before implementation so as to enjoy the required cash backing.
He concluded by sternly warning staff on the mis use of the platforms urging any staff who wants to make criticisms of the state to use conventional media so that they can be liable to any defamation.