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JUSUN strike stalls deposed Emir Sanusi’s suit against Kano Govt, others

A suit filed by deposed Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, against the Kano State government and others was Thursday stalled due to the strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

The deposed emir had, on March 12, 2020, sued the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police and Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS) over what he called “unlawful detention/confinement” at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Also joined in the motion with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/357/2020 are the Attorney-General of Kano State and Attorney General of the Federation as 3rd and 4th respondents respectively.

The former emir had, in a motion -ex-parte dated March 12 by his team of lawyers, sought an interim order of the court releasing him from the detention and/or confinement of the respondents and restoring his right to human dignity, personal liberty.

Sanusi, after his banishment from Kano, was confined to Awe town, Nasarawa State.
The presiding judge, Justice Anwuli Chikere, however. ordered his immediate release.

Although the deposed emir had since been released after the court ruling, the case is still in court as the originating motion was yet to be determined by the court.

On March 31, the matter could not come up and the case was therefore fixed for June 3.

Emir Sanusi

But the industrial action embarked upon by the judiciary workers nationwide to demand for financial autonomy for the judiciary hindered its hearing.

JUSUN on April 6 directed its members to shut down all courts across the country.
NAN reports that a verdict of the Federal High Court in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, had in January 2014 held that financial autonomy for the judiciary is a constitutional provision that must be complied with by the executive branch of government.

On May 23, President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the Executive Order to grant financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the country.

The order also mandates the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct from source amount due to state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each state for states that refuse to grant such autonomy.

The Attorney General of the Federation Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 made it mandatory that all states of the federation should include the allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.

According to the AGF: “A Presidential Implementation Committee was constituted to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of financial autonomy for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended).”

The Nigeria Governors Forum said it will start implementing financial autonomy for the judiciary latest by May ending, a pledge that indicated that an end to the ongoing strike that has crippled the nation’s judiciary may be in sight.

The governors also called on striking members of the JUSUN to call off their two weeks old strike then.

The Chairman of the NGF, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, gave this assurance in an interview with journalists after meeting with “stakeholders” from the state judiciary and legislature at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Fayemi said the modalities for the implementation were worked out at the meeting held at the Presidential Villa.

According to him, the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari, was attended by the Solicitor-General of the Federation, representatives of the judiciary, Conference of Speakers and House of Representatives.

The first line charge status, which is being respected by the Federal Government in respect of the federal judiciary, entitles the state judiciaries to get funds due to them directly from the Federation Account.

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NEWS & LIFE

Kano Govt. earmarks N1.5bn for roads rehabilitation in 2021

The Kano State Government says N1.5 billion in the 2021 budget presented before the state’s assembly has been earmarked for the rehabilitation of roads across the city.

Alhaji Idris Wada, Managing Director, Kano Road Maintenance Agency (KARMA), made the disclosure to newsmen on Wednesday after he appeared before the assembly to defend the budget on behalf of the organisation.

According to him, the major focus in 2021 is to embark on rehabilitation of major roads in the city, which he said, are presently in bad condition.

He said: “These roads are in bad condition because most of the people dump refuse in drainages and during rainy season, this causes a lot of flooding in some areas.

“When the drainage channels are blocked during heavy rain, the water may not have the right ways to pass, therefore flood to the streets.

“Due to the continued flooding, it causes serious damages to our roads here within the metropolitan areas; therefore, we have to make necessary repairs to make the roads convenient for the users.”

Wada appealed to residents to avoid dumping refuse in drainages so as to prevent the continued flooding and spread of diseases.

“Heavy trailers and trucks also contributed to the dilapidated roads in the city because there are areas we ordered them not to park or pass through.

“But they failed to abide by the order; hence, we collaborated with the Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA) to take necessary action against the defaulters,” Wada said.

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NEWS & LIFE

Kano Govt to establish 5 mega unity schools

‎Kano State Government, says it has concluded plans to establish five mega unity schools, to further boost the educational development in the state.

Muhammad Sanusi-Kiru, the state’s Commissioner for Education, stated this in a statement by Aliyu Yusuf, Public Relations Officer of the ministry in Kano on Wednesday.

‎The statement quoted the commissioner as saying that the projects were approved at the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held on Tuesday.‎

Sanusi-Kiru disclosed that the schools would be established at Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye Emirate Councils.

He said that each of the school was designed with 360 students’ population for JSS 1,2 and 3 as well as SS1, adding that the schools would commenced academic activities in the 2020/2021 session.

He said: “With the approval, the number of unity colleges in the state will increase to seven including that of Karaye and Kachako respectively.‎

“The unity schools are also open for admission to students from other states of the northern region.‎

“The schools are to be headed by Director/ Principals and Deputy Directors on Grade Level 15 as Vice Principal (Academic and Administration) for prudent and effective management.”‎

The statement further said that the SEC commiserated with the management of the Government Girls Technical College, Gwarzo, over the recent fire outbreak in the school.

‎”The council approved N37 million for the immediate rehabilitation of the affected hostels and other facilities razed by fire in the college.”