No Legislative, Judiciary Autonomy In Cross River — Lawmaker

A member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Efa Esua, has said that two arms of government in the state, the judiciary and legislature, do not have autonomy and independence.

According to Esua, who is representing Calabar municipality and was also former chairman of House Committee on Public Petition, Public Service Matters, and Conflict Resolution, it is a deliberate attempt by the executive to control and dictate to them.

Speaking to journalists in Calabar on Thursday, he said, “Recently, there was a long strike by judicial workers over judicial autonomy. There were a lot of appeals that the strike should be suspended. But up till now, even despite that our governor signed that autonomy, is there anything like judicial autonomy in the Cross River State judiciary?

“There is also no independence or autonomy in the state parliament. As we speak, we are still waiting for the executive arm of government to approve our salary, but other states have implemented theirs.”

He further stated, “When you don’t have autonomy, why won’t you be seen as a rubber stamp? Even to drink water you will wait and depend on the executive. We, judiciary and legislature, largely depend on the executive arm of government to get money and survive.”

Esua also decried the bill currently in the National Assembly seeking to stop medical workers from going on strike in the country.