A former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Ogun, Mr Emmanuel Olu-Alade, has urged the federal government to deduct and pay funds meant for the judiciary to the heads of the courts concerned.
Mr. Olu-Alade made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun.
He urged the Federal Government to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Accountant General to deduct from source monies standing to the credit of the judiciary.
”’The provisions of Constitution are clear to the extent that the Judiciary both at the Federal and State Level shall be independent in line with Section 121 (3), Section 81 (3) and Section 162(9)”.
”The Federal Government should resolve the prolonged judiciary workers strike through provisions in the Constitution,” he said.
Mr. Olu-Alade said the strike was regrettable as the judiciary staff had to embark on industrial action to compel the executive to comply with the law that guarantees autonomy for the judiciary.
“The strike was unfortunate as the constitution is so clear as regards autonomy for various arms of governments which includes the judiciary and the legislative”.
”The autonomy of various arms of governments should not have created any problem since President Muhammadu Buhari signed executive order 10 to that effect in 2019,” he said.
Mr. Olu-Alade said the same should equally be done to Local Governments and Houses of Assembly.
Recalled that the union had, on May 5, vowed that the industrial action embarked upon to demand financial autonomy for state judiciaries would not be called off until the governors complied with the constitutional provisions.
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