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Osun Judicial Strike: Parties Sign Resolution Agreement
Parties to the Osun judicial strike have signed a resolution agreement.
This comes because Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke effected the payment of wardrobe allowance, one of the key demands of the striking workers.
Details of these were set out in a government statement issued in Osogbo on Monday.
According to the statement, the resolution panel set up by the governor described the agreement reached among the parties as in pursuance of the seven-day ultimatum issued for the resolution of the strike by Gov Adeleke.
Secretary to the State Government, who chaired the Committee said, “We are happy to report to the public that in compliance with Mr Governor’s directive, the parties to the strike action have agreed to terms for the calling off of the strike.”
According to him, the implementation of the agreement has begun in earnest, with the governor having ordered the immediate payment of the wardrobe allowance to the judicial workers.
“The implementation has commenced. The areas that affected the executive arm are being effected. The one within the jurisdiction of the judicial arm is to be taken up by the State Judicial Service Commission,” the Attorney General who is also a member of the committee noted.
Biztellers reports that the agreement was signed by the registrar of state High Court; Mr F.I. Omisade, the National President of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Comrade Marwan Adamu; and the Commissioner for Justice, Hon Wole Jimi Bada.
The text of the nine-point agreement reads, thus:
“That the judicial services commission (JSC) meeting should be called to reinstate all the suspended staff as soon as possible;
“That the necessary promotion and regularization of all qualified members of staff will be effected by the judicial service commission (JSC) without further delay;
“All instituted court actions against the judicial service commission (JSC), JUSUN, its members (by signatory to this agreement, their privies or their sympathizers) and the hon. The Attorney General must be withdrawn forthwith;
“That the government has agreed to pay the 2023 staffs regulation dress allowance/ robe allowance, as same was captured under the budget of the judiciary for 2023;
“That the government will contact all relevant governmental agencies to look into all the past activities regarding the 2021 and 2022 staff;
“That the government’s robust scheme of service for all categories of staff in the judiciary shall be fashioned out and implemented by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) without any further delay;
“There shall be no victimization of any form against any judicial officer, or any member of JUSUN for participating in the strike or as a result of the strike;
“That this agreement is without prejudice to whatever step being taken by the national judicial council and in no way meant to overreach, overtake or stop such steps;
“That this agreement is made in consideration of the need to enable Jusun call off its strike and resume duties accordingly in the interest of the state and general public.”
The Enugu State Government has commended the Republic of Finland for the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based leader of the proscribed separatist group, Autopilots.
Ekpa has been accused of orchestrating violence and chaos in Nigeria’s South East region.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the government described Ekpa as a “common criminal, con man, and terrorist” who has exploited the Igbo people while claiming to represent their interests.
RELATED NEWS: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations
“The Enugu State Government welcomes the arrest of the Finland-based terrorist, Simon Ekpa,” the statement read.
“His arrest and trial will no doubt go a long way in strengthening peace, security, and stability in all parts of the South East.”
The state government accused Ekpa of sponsoring violent activities that have resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of property, and disruption of the region’s economic activities.
It stated that Ekpa’s actions were driven by personal greed and not genuine concern for the Igbo people.
Onyia said, “Ekpa is a murderer and fraudster who delights in killing his people and living large off their misery.
“He thrives on manipulating, exploiting, and extorting the people on the pretext of fighting for their interest and for the restoration of Biafra.”
The government emphasized its readiness to provide evidence of Ekpa’s alleged crimes to support his prosecution, whether in Finland or Nigeria.
“This arrest is in line with the demand of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration, which has repeatedly made it known that Ekpa is a megalomaniac, common criminal, murderer, and fraudster who takes joy in feeding fat on the manipulated emotions of Ndigbo and inflicting misery on the South East region,” the statement added.
The government further criticized Ekpa for fostering a climate of fear and insecurity that has harmed the entrepreneurial spirit and economic growth of the Igbo people.
“Ekpa has for long, and unfortunately from Finland, made a living by creating a siege climate and mentality in the South East, destroying lives, property, and the Igbo trademark of entrepreneurship and hard work,” Onyia said.
The Enugu State Government expressed optimism that Ekpa’s arrest would mark a turning point in the quest for peace and stability in the South East, urging residents to remain vigilant and supportive of ongoing efforts to restore normalcy in the region.
The COP29 presidency has unveiled an ambitious climate finance plan, calling on developed nations to provide $250 billion annually to developing countries by 2035.
The proposal, part of a broader initiative to mobilize $1.3 trillion from public and private sources each year, seeks to address the mounting challenges posed by climate change.
The five-page draft text, released on Friday, emphasizes the need for developed nations to lead the charge in financing climate action.
RELATED NEWS: COP29: Climate Summit Faces Deadlock Over Vague Funding Proposals For Vulnerable Nations
According to the document, this financial commitment is seen as a critical step toward combating the climate crisis and fostering sustainable development globally.
“In this context, it is decided to set a goal in extension of the goal referred to in paragraph 53 of decision 1/CP.21, with developed country Parties taking the lead, to USD 250 billion per year by 2035 for developing country Parties for climate action,” the draft states.
The announcement follows the release of an earlier 10-page draft on Thursday, which drew significant criticism from Global South delegations.
Many expressed frustration that the document lacked clear financial commitments from wealthier nations, falling short of expectations to support adaptation and mitigation efforts.
“There is a clear need to address the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, especially given the diverse circumstances shaping national priorities,” a negotiator from a developing country delegation remarked.
The updated proposal aims to address some of these concerns by outlining more specific targets. However, skepticism remains among some negotiators, who feel the revisions still fail to adequately address their demands.
Meanwhile, developed countries have raised their own reservations about the proposed plan.
A European negotiator, speaking to Reuters, described the $250 billion annual target as unrealistic and criticized the lack of measures to expand the pool of contributing countries.
“No one is comfortable with the number because it’s high, and there’s almost nothing on broadening the contributor base,” the negotiator said.
The mixed reactions underscore the persistent divide between developed and developing nations in climate negotiations.
While the draft text aims to reconcile these differences, the gap between expectations and commitments remains a significant hurdle.
The President of the African School of Governance, Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu has admonished state actors against resorting to brutal force in the bid to muscle out separatist agitators.
In the aftermath of Mazi Simon Ekpa, the Finland based Biafran nationalist agitator being caught in legal web and the Nigerian government moving swiftly to seek his repatriation, the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned that ‘We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.’
ALSO READ: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations
The political economist, while expressing his hope in Nigeria, made it clear that “hope is not a strategy”.
He bared his mind in a series of posts on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Friday.
Moghalu wrote, “Despite sustained contemporary difficulties, I am hopeful about Nigeria. But hope is not a strategy. We need to improve state capacity for effective governance.
“We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.
“We must learn to be honest with ourselves and address the root causes of our problems. Why ignore them, when the problem is actually quite solvable? The problem with continuing with this approach is that when the danger crystallizes, those who thought they were benefiting from
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