Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun has set up a seven-man committee to resolve the ongoing strike by the state branch of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

A statement issued by his spokesperson, Malam Olawale Rasheed, on Sunday, said that the governor had also written a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Chief Justice of Nigeria to assist in resolving the JUSUN crisis.

"Worried by protracted strike action by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, Governor Ademola Adeleke has set up a seven-man committee to urgently resolve the industrial dispute.

"The governor is also sending a briefing letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, calling for support to resolve the industrial dispute.

"The governor, in the letters, briefed the top judicial officials on his efforts so far to get the crisis resolved, although the bone of contention is pure judicial staff matters.

"The committee, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Teslim Igbalaye, is to find a lasting solution to the crisis within the judiciary within seven days," he said.

Rasheed said that the governor set up the committee with a direct mandate to get the dispute resolved, adding that his action was aimed at restoring normalcy and not interfering in the judicial arm of government.

According to him, the new intervention by Adeleke followed his previous efforts, which included the payment of withheld salaries of some judicial staffers, negotiations on wardrobe allowances, and the recent hosting of the national leadership of the judicial staff union.

"We are being careful all along not to be accused of meddling in judicial matters. But it is now almost an emergency. We must get the issues ironed out.

"I told the national leadership of JUSUN to mediate. I am also reaching out to the Attorney-General and the Chief Justice. We need to get our courts running for regular dispensation of justice," the statement said. (NAN)