The insistence of state governors to rely on the 45-day window provided in their agreement with the judicial and parliamentary workers for the implementation of its terms may prolong the ongoing strike by the workers.
This is coming as the federal government has directed members of the striking Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria(JUSUN) and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria(PASAN) to urgently reopen all the courts and the state Houses of Assembly so that the May 20, 2021 Memorandum of Action (MoA), signed by all parties on June 4, can take effect.
However, the National Executive Committees (NECs) of the two unions will hold emergency meetings today to decide on the next line of action.
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The federal government had three weeks ago brokered an agreement between the governors and the workers to end their 10-week-old strike.
Under the agreement, the governors were given 45-day window, with effect from the date of the agreement, to implement its terms.
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However, while the representatives of the workers promptly signed the agreement under the supervision of the Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, the representatives of the governors only endorsed the document last Friday.
But one of the conditions given by the workers to call off the strike was that while the agreement is being implemented, the governors should first release their May statutory allocations directly to them immediately after the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), held last month.
However, after signing the agreements, the governors have not released the allocations due to the judiciary and the legislative arms of government.
A source said that the delay in releasing the allocations to the two arms of government in line with their financial autonomy status provided by the constitution was due to the inability of the states to immediately set up a State Allocation Accounts Committee (SAAC) and the State Houses of Assembly Services Commission in their respective states.JUSUN Strike: NBA Laments Governors Failure to Comply Agreement
The setting up of SAAC and State Houses of Assembly Services Commission was also part of the agreement reached between the striking workers and the governors.
The source said the inability to set up these bodies immediately was the major reason stalling the release of funds to both arms of government.
While the workers have demanded the immediate release of the allocations for them to call off the strike, the source stated that the governors are utilising the 45-day window provided in the agreement to implement the terms, including the release of the funds.
He added that some states have not set up SAAC and the State Assembly Services Commission for the various commissioners of finance and the representatives of the Conference of Speakers of State Assembly.
He said: “The governors are desirous of releasing the funds to the states’ judiciaries and the legislatures, but these organs have to be set up first to become the avenue to moderate the disbursements of the funds like it is done with the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).
“The governors were given a 45-day deadline to set up these organs to enable implementation.
Therefore, it is after the expiration of this 45 days that one can say that the governors don’t want to honour the agreement with the judicial and the legislative workers.
“For now, all processes are in motion and the necessary organs would be set up to ensure proper implementation as per the agreement.”
He added: “Every state will have to set up the SAAC and the State Assembly Services Commission. It is here the details of what every state has to pay to the legislature and the judiciary is to be worked out based on the agreed percentage.
“The mode of payment is based on a percentage of the revenue generated by each state and not based on the total budget of the state.
“Who will receive necessary funds without the SAAC? So, let the proper thing be done. The governors are within the terms of the agreement reached.”
