Abia Courts to Remain Shut as Judiciary Workers Tackle Otti over Minimum Wage Implementation

Courts in Abia State would remain closed as there appears to be no end in sight for the resolution of the dispute between the judiciary workers and the state government.

The leadership of the Abia chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria(JUSUN) had on January 2, 2025 reactivated its earlier suspended strike when they could not have their way with government on the new salary issue.

Speaking on a radio programme in Umuahia Tuesday, January 14, 2025, the Chairman of Abia JUSUN, Comrade Chinedu Eze said that the union was yet to see any light at the end of the tunnel with regards to government shifting its position on the salary issue.

He explained that the bone of contention was the refusal of government to accept and implement the appropriate reflection of the consolidated judiciary salary structure (CONJUS) on the consequential adjustments of the new minimum wage.

Eze alleged that government was “deliberate and intentional in undermining the independence of the judiciary” by refusing to reflect CONJUS in the new salary regime.

Governor Otti had on Sunday accused JUSUN leaders of acting in bad faith, insisting that judiciary workers were not owed any salary arrears by government.

He said that he had released N300 million to cover their salaries for November and December 2024 and the 13th month salary approved for all Abia workers.

Otti wondered why the management of the Judiciary arm of government has not paid the workers, adding that JUSUN should not hold him responsible having made funds available for their salary payment.

Gov Otti: Pondering on the way out of the latest industrial unrest.

The JUSUN leadership acknowledged ee eipt of the N300 million but it shot back saying that the released fund by the Governor was a far cry from the N900 million required to offset the judiciary workers salary arrears based on the new minimum wage.

Comrade Eze said that the union had written government on several occasions complaining about “deliberate underfunding of the judiciary arm” thereby undermining the financial autonomy of the Judiciary.

He stated that government should “carry the peculiar allowances enjoyed by JUSUN members because of the nature of their jobs” into the consequential adjustments of the new minimum wage as it pertains to judiciary workers.

JUSUN has continued to hold on to its claim the N900 million salary outlay it presented to government was arrived at between the union and the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ikechukwu Uwanna.

According to Eze, the Attorney General had “strenuously verified the facts and figures” as presented before a memorandum of understanding(MoU) was signed between government and union leaders.

JUSUN further argued that after the MoU was signed with the union, the State Auditor General “issued audited salary clearance to the Judiciary”.

The union wondered why government “now finds it difficult to implement and pay the amount they issued payment clearance on”.

However, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma has disputed the claims of JUSUN, insisting that “there was no agreement that government entered into with JUSUN and reneged”.

On his part, the Chief Secretary to the Governor, Ukoha Njoku said that “what JUSUN is asking for is unrealistic”, adding that the union should stop “makjng “unreasonable demands” as government has other categories of workers to cater for.

He lampoomed JUSUN for harping on independence of the Judiciary arm, saying that “the Judiciary can only be independent if it generates its own funds” without depe ding on the Executive arm for its financial needs.

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