The Lagos State Chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, has ease the nationwide industrial action in the state as it orders partial resumption of work.
Judiciary staff nationwide on April 6 embarked on an indefinite strike demanding that state governments grant financial freedom to their respective judiciary.
The Lagos State chapter of JUSUN chaired by Mr Kehinde Shobowale, had in a April 22 memo, ordered a partial reopening of the courts because the state has so far attained 75 per cent financial autonomy.
“It is our desire only to relax strike rules to allow clearance of backlogs, reading of judgement and decongestion of prison occasion by the covid pandemic and EndSARS protest.
“Therefore, work and official duties are constraint to Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of every week, while Monday and Tuesday of every week remains our strike days that all staff must stay off duty to observed the national strike,” he said.
Although the Executives had makes a turn around after the story came to limelight stating that the communique is subject to approval by the national body.
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In a Notice of Resumption dated April 28 issued by Mr Sanusi Kamal, the Director of Administration and Human Resources, Lagos State Judiciary stated that judiciary staff should resume on April 29.
“In view of the the communique issued by JUSUN, Lagos State Branch on the 27th April, 2021, I have the directive to inform all members of staff to resume at their various duty post on Thursday, 29th April, 2021.
“It should be noted that officers are expected to be in office only on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays of every week until further directive from JUSUN,” Jamal said.
Approaching the Ikeja High Court, our correspondent observed that the main gate of the complex is still locked but the pedestrian gate is open to members of the public.
The courtroom registry is open and individuals were observed filing and getting documents including affidavits stamped.
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No prison vans or prison warders were observed in the court premises. The holding cell of the courthouse was empty because inmates were not brought in from the correctional centers for trial.
The Roseline Omotoso Courthouse which houses the Special Offences and Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences courtroom was also open.
There was also no activity in all the courtrooms, judges did not sit.
The courtrooms of Justices Christopher Balogun, Modupe Onyeabor and Oluwatoyin Taiwo were noticed to be locked.
Some courtroom staff were observed standing in clusters and having conversations while some others were sitting and working at their desks.
NAN
