The Anambra State judiciary has been paralyzed by a strike launched by The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) on Monday, as the union demands the state government’s compliance with the Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure, CONJUS.
The indefinite work stoppage has ground court proceedings to a halt, sparking fears about the impact on the administration of justice and the fate of pending cases.
Reporter, who conducted a reconnaissance of the judiciary hub in Awka, observed a eerie silence at the High Courts in Ekwueme Square, Chief Magistrate’s Courts, and Customary Courts in Amawbia. The usual bustle of legal activity was conspicuously absent, as courtrooms stood vacant and lawyers milling about, awaiting a resolution to the impasse.
The court complex was eerily devoid of its usual occupants, with nary a magistrate, judge, or staff member in sight. Only security personnel stood watch, their presence a stark reminder of the judicial system’s grinding halt. The usual bustle of legal activity was replaced by an unsettling stillness, as if the very heart of justice had been put on pause.
As the day wore on, a steady stream of lawyers and litigants arrived at the court, only to be met with a stark surprise: the entrance gates were securely locked, a physical barrier to the justice they sought.
With no alternative but to turn back, the would-be court-goers departed, their legal quests foiled by the strike.
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Henry Ezeoke, the State Chairman of JUSUN, confided in NAN that the union’s decision to embark on an indefinite strike was a last resort, prompted by the government’s persistent disregard for a mutually agreed-upon understanding reached in 2011 and 2015. The strike, he stressed, was a necessary measure to hold the government accountable.
“The action was a result of the state government’s refusal to pay CONJUS as agreed in 2011 and 2015 respectively.
“We have explored all possible avenues but the state government has refused to comply with the agreement on implementation of CONJUS.
“The union earlier issued a 21-day ultimatum to the state government but it was ignored. We believe that downing tools is the only language the government understands.
