Judiciary
THE Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Plateau chapter, has urged the State Government to allow for conversion of judicial staff and employment to address manpower shortage in the sector and reopening of 14 shutdown courts.
Mr Pasi Ishaya, Secretary of the union, made the call on Monday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos.
Ishaya said that for over 15 years now, there had not been any conversion or employment carried out in the Judiciary, which he said, had resulted in the closure of 14 different courts across the 17 local government areas of the State.
He said that the situation was aggravated by the retirement and death of many judicial staff, aside those who had left the service for greener pastures, thereby leaving huge loopholes in staff strength of the arm.
“Although we have enough trained lawyers that could handle those courts, but because the government has not given room for such conversion, the courts are being negatively affected as more are being shut down as time goes on.
“Besides Shortage of manpower, lack of funds is one other serious challenge facing the Judiciary and if care is not taken, more courts will soon shut down because we are truly understaffed in the Judiciary.
“But once the government gives room for the conversion of qualified lawyers to be magistrates, Sole Judges and Judges, and provides adequate funds, the 14 courts could be reactivated, “ he stated.
The secretary gave the names of the unfortunate courts to include: Reak Area Court, Binchin Area Court In Bassa, Tal and Somji Area Courts in Pankshin, Richa and Mushere Area Courts in Bokkos and Company Zurak Area Court in Wase.
Others are: Tudun Wada Area Court, Dashunung Area Court, Channel 7 Anglo-Jos, Hwolshe Area Court and Nanmwa Magistrates Court In Abattoir all within Jos-Bukuru metropolis.
He described as “very unfortunate “ and “disturbing “ a situation whereby most of the functional courts are in bad conditions if not dilapidated.
“For over 15 years now, successive Governments have not deemed it wise to employ more staff into the Judiciary nor allow for staff conversion, which resulted to the challenges we are facing today
“Subventions to the arm hardly comes and even when it comes, it is always so meager to handle the huge financial burdens of the arm, “ he explained.
“More disturbing is that some of the functional Courts are leaking due to their bad shapes and conditions.”
“Some of the courts profusely leak during the raining season, thereby causing serious inconveniences. This explains why we are all clamouring for the reality of the autonomy of the Judiciary.
“Our government has to take decisive steps toward addressing the challenges we are currently facing especially in the state Judiciary especially shortage of manpower and funds, “ Ishaya said.
He commended the new Plateau Judiciary Chief Registrar (CR), Mrs Ladi Madaki, for some of her deliberate polices , which had opened doors for judicial staff to go out for seminars and workshops that helped in building “our capacity as judicial staff for effective and efficient service delivery.”
Contacted, the State Chief Registrar, Madaki, described the challenges facing the Plateau State Judiciary as “enormous “ but that efforts were being made to surmount them in earnest.
The CR, who confirmed the closure of the courts expressed regret that the 14 courts were non functional, thereby depriving the people of the desired services toward obtaining justice within their domains.
“The issue of staff conversion is being pursued with the state government in order to see how it could assist in arresting some of the teething problems were are presently facing.
“On employment, the government is waiting for the issue of minimum wage to be resolved first before embarking on that.
“We also hope that very soon the government will approve some of our financial requisitions for release as part of our subvention to enable us address some of these challenges and make the Courts conducive for staff and litigants as well as the public.
“I am optimistic that our Governor, who holds the Judiciary so passionate in his heart, will do something drastic to save the Judiciary, which is his own constituency being a lawyer, “ she assured.
NAN
– Sept. 23, 2019 @ 15:19 GMT |
Tags: employment to reactivate 14 Courts JUSUN urges Plateau Govt. to allow staff conversion
