The Federal Government yesterday debunked claims by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria that it did not comply with the judgement which barred the executive from holding on to judiciary funds.
The judiciary workers used the allegation as reason they embarked on a nationwide strike on Monday.
They are calling for financial autonomy for the judiciary in line with the judgment of the court presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Reacting to the allegation of not complying with the court order, the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla, said in an interview with journalists in Abuja, that the Federal Government had always ensured compliance.
He said, “The first impression I should correct is that the Office of the Accountant-General was never a party to that litigation. But without any prejudice to that and also reminding you that the Federal Government has been acting consequently with what it should do.
“We have always been giving the National Judicial Council its money as a first line charge without interference with how they manage the funds.”
Otunla further said that at the last Federation Account Allocation Committee meeting held on December 16, his office attempted a nominal distribution of money to the various state judiciaries.
He said the move was stopped by the states to enable them (states) carry out what he referred as reconciliation of figures.
“At the last Federation Accounts Allocation Committee meeting, the OAGF made a nominal distribution for money to be remitted to the various state judiciaries but the states said they should give them more time to reconcile their figures and they rightly declined that we should not effect the deduction.
“So, at the Federal Ministry of Finance, we have tried our own very best to ensure that the judgement is abided with. So the fault is not really ours”, Otunla said.
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