From Godwin Tsa Abuja
Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta, Ita Enang, has blamed state governors for the protracted strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).
The presidential aide, however, expressed optimism that the strike will soon be resolved.
Enang, who doubles as the secretary of the Presidential Committee on Autonomy, disclosed that already, the Federal Government has put up workable template that would be agreeable to all parties in the dispute.
While blaming the governors for the prolonged strike in an interview with Daily Sun, Enang said: “It was the state governors that were not ready to give autonomy. Some of them contended that if there is a provision for building of courts and if they build the courts, they have exercise autonomy. If there is a provision for buying of cars and if they buy cars, they have exercise autonomy.
“But it is not. The autonomy is the kind of autonomy that operates at the federal level. President Buhari is saying treat the judiciary in your state the way I have treated the judiciary at the federal level. Treat the legislature in your state the way I have treated the National Assembly at the federal level, which is that, monies that is meant to the judiciary is stated in the federal budget as First Line Charge and when it comes, it is released to the secretary of the National Judiciary Council on behalf of the judiciary, and warrant for the spending of the money is signed by the chief justice of Nigeria, after all the processes.
“Thereafter, the money is then released to the Supreme Court, the president of the Court of Appeal, the chief judge of the Federal High Court, National Industrial Court and other federal courts.”