Plateau Government Directs Full Implementation of Legislative, Judicial Autonomy

By John Ikani

Plateau State Government has directed the Accountant General of the state to transfer funds meant for the Legislative and Judicial arms of government.

The directive was issued after the state reached an agreement following series of negotiation on modalities for the full implementation of the autonomy for the two arms of Government in the state.

This was disclosed by Governor Simon Lalong during a dinner and lecture to mark Democracy Day 2021 at the Banquet Hall of the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, Plateau State.

According to him, his administration had put in place structures for autonomy and even implemented some aspects prior to the clamour for implementation of autonomy across the nation.

He said the structures include establishing the Judicial Service Commission and the House of Assembly Service Commission which are the administrative fulcrums of the two arms of Government among others.

Lalong went on to note that he has directed that all funds accruing to the two arms of Government should immediately be transferred to them and said that will continue to be the practice henceforth.

“Based on the arrangement, after every FAAC monthly allocations are recieved and Internally Generated Revenues ascertained, statutory charges and liabilities will be deducted before each arm of Government are given what belongs to them.

What you should know 

Nigeria’s constitution gives the judiciary financial autonomy from state governors and heads of courts access to a federal fund. But the government did not comply with this provision in the 1999 constitution until the union took action in 2014 – the second in three nationwide strikes by Nigeria’s court staff.

Last year, Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, signed an executive order to implement the provision at state level. But governors have refused to comply and threatened legal action.

The union said the dependence on the executive for funds has affected the day-to-day running of the justice system.

Shobowale Kehinde, chair of JUSUN’s Lagos branch, said: “If the executive arm of the government still pockets the [funds of the] judiciary, that means that for every piece of paper we have to buy, we have to go cap in hand to the executive arm of the government.”

In April 2021, Justice officials, under the auspices of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), have called an indefinite nationwide strike to bring home their demand for financial autonomy of the judiciary.

However, the union in June, resolved to suspend the industrial action during its national executive council (NEC) meeting, which held on Wednesday, in Abuja.

Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, Jimoh Alonge, treasurer of the union, said JUSUN decided to call off the strike following the intervention of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

“NJC, which is the highest body of the judiciary, appealed to the union to give them two to three months to weigh into the matter and make sure they actualise what we are asking for. They noted that the public is suffering. We decided to accord them that respect,” Alonge said.