Judiciary workers in Osun State, on Monday staged blocked the entrance of the state high court in Osogbo to protest against what they called 'maltreatment' of staffs by the embattled Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo.
The protesting workers led by the state JUSUN chairman, Mr. Eludire Gbenga Kunle, prevented movement in and out of the premises.
Gbenga said the embattled CJ and the management have been maltreating the workers.
Armed with placards with inscriptions such as ‘Judiciary staff deserves better,’ ‘We are tired of oppression and stagnation,’ and ‘Unlawful suspension of Judiciary staff without recourse to Judicial Service Commission is barbaric,’ among others, the workers accused Adepele-Ojo of refusal to pay wardrobe allowances of workers and other emoluments in the last three years.
Part of the allegations levelled against the management and the CJ include unlawful suspension of members of staff Several of judiciary staff which they said was masterminded by the Chief Judge without their lawful appearances before the Judicial Service Commission.
Eludire said majority of these suspended staff have been on suspension for over 57 months without any attempt to reinstate them.
"Some members were arraigned before the Magistrate Court, but they were vindicated. Despite the vindication, the Hon. Chief Judge refused to reinstate them. Several petitions were raised and presented by the affected staff but they all yielded no meaningful result. At a time, panel was set up to investigate the allegations levelled against them, whereas the report of the panel was not implemented," he added.
Other allegations levelled include, delibrate stoppage of the national training of staff has retarded the effectiveness and efficiency of staff since 2015.
They noted that on yearly basis, there is provision in the budget of the Judiciary to adequately take care of the training.
Inadequate implementation of staff promotion, advancement and regularization, Non-payment of wardrobe allowances to judiciary workers. Despite the approval and inclusion of the wardrobe allowances in the yearly budget of the State Judiciary for the periods of year 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively, the Hon. Chief Judge refused to implement it to the detriment of staff. Poor working conditions and poor maintenance of infrastructure in our various courts across the state among others.
It would be recalled that Justice Adepele-Ojo was last week Thursday, asked to step aside by the state House of Assembly pending investigations on allegations of corruption, gross-misconduct and abuse of office.
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