Edo State judiciary workers under the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) on Monday locked out workers of the Edo State House of Assembly over plans to amend laws governing the financial autonomy of the judiciary and legislature.

The judicial workers blocked the entrance to the Assembly complex with placards protesting the proposed changes and demanding that the financial autonomy laws be retained.

Recall that last week, the Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly introduced two bills seeking to repeal the Edo State Judiciary Financial Autonomy Law, 2023, and the Edo State House of Assembly Funds Management Law, 2023.

However, the Speaker of the Assembly, Idiaye Yekini, clarified that the use of the word “repeal” in the bills was an error, insisting that the lawmakers intended to amend the laws rather than abolish them.

According to the Speaker, the proposed amendment would provide for the establishment of an agency to promote accountability and ensure the proper execution of projects under the financial autonomy arrangement.

Chairman of Edo JUSUN, Comrade Orien Charles, said the protest was to ask the lawmakers to throw the proposed bill away.

Orien said any plan to repeal or amend the Financial Autonomy Law was aimed at ending autonomy for both institutions.

He said they spent 10 years fighting for autonomy and would not allow it to be taken away.

“We are here because of our financial autonomy.

“The House of Assembly, last week, wanted to repeal the financial autonomy for the judiciary. After agitation, they said it was and error that they want to do an amendment.

“We find out that the amendment and the repeal are the same thing.

“They want to take away the autonomy. The amendment is the same thing as repealing. During the course of amendment, they will take away the autonomy and bring in another law that will not suit the judiciary and the House of Assembly.

“We will not accept it because we suffered for it for 10 years before we got it. We will not agree. We are here to see the Speaker. What the Speaker says will determine our next line of action. We pray the Speaker listen to us. We want them to stop everything. We don’t need repealing, we don’t need amendment.

“They are not sincere. We are here fighting for autonomy but the Assembly workers are there looking at us”, Orien said. (The Sun)

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