The Federal Government has expressed optimism that the strike of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria will end soon.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, stated this Thursday after a conciliation meeting between the government negotiating team  and the two unions, during which he presented a proposal on financial autonomy for the judiciary and state assembly to the unions.

Ngige said the government had made offers to the two unions for them to consult with their various National Executive Committees and revert with feedback.

According to the minister, the proposal substantially addressed their demands for judicial and legislative autonomy in the 36 states of the country.

He explained that the proposal was produced by the committee of the government comprising the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata (SAN), the Secretary of the Presidential Committee for the Implementation of Judicial and Legislative Autonomy, Senator Ita Enang, representative of the National Judicial Council and the Director-General of the Nigerian Governors Forum.

Ngige said, “A lot of work went in. We have exchanged briefs with the JUSUN and PASAN. They have their demands, which they had earlier submitted. The government side has given counter-offers and properly addressed the burning issue of financial autonomy for state legislatures and judiciary.”

He said the meeting was adjourned to enable JUSUN and PASAN to take back the government proposal to their respective national executive committees.

“We expect them to work on the documents from tomorrow (Friday) and if they are satisfied, they should inform us. And you know that when they are satisfied, the logical thing is to call off the industrial dispute,’’ the minister noted.

He appealed to the striking workers to return to work to enable the government meet the outstanding part of their demands.

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Responding, the Vice Chairman of JUSUN, Emmanuel Abioye, and the National President of PASAN, Mohammed Usman, said they would meet with their National Executive Committees to study the situation and consider the offers before reverting to the labour minister.

Meanwhile, PASAN apologised to the minister for the unfriendly labour conduct of its members during the conciliation meeting of April 20, 2021.

A letter signed by National President of the union appealed to the minister to ‘’live down the discourteous conduct and continue with the conciliation,’’ noting that the action was not meant to spite him “but a move to drive home our agitations.’’

The letter read in part, “the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria after wide consultations and interventions by well-meaning Nigerians wishes to tender apology to you.

“PASAN withdraws that particular action and the attendant inconveniences to the Honourable Minister.”