Judiciary workers in Abia State have continued their industrial action over what they describe as the state government’s failure to implement financial autonomy for the judiciary. The strike, which began on March 13 in Umuahia, was confirmed on Monday by the Chairman of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in the state, Mr. Chinedu Ezeh, during a briefing with journalists.
Ezeh said the strike is intended to enforce the terms of a June 2023 agreement and safeguard the independence of the judiciary. He emphasised that the dispute extends beyond issues of unpaid leave allowance, contrary to the state government’s claims, and centres primarily on securing full financial autonomy for the judicial arm.
“The unpaid leave allowance is not the main reason for this strike; it is just a small part of our demands,” Ezeh said, stressing that the union’s principal concern is adherence to the agreed framework for judicial financial independence.
He explained that the decision to sustain the strike reflects the government’s failure to meet key provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding, adding that the outcome will have far-reaching implications for the judiciary’s operational independence and effectiveness.
The Abia State Government had previously attributed the strike to disagreements over unpaid leave allowance. The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ikechukwu Uwanna, had urged union leaders to suspend the industrial action to allow for pension verification and payments for retired judiciary workers.
However, Ezeh rejected this position, stating that responsibility for pension verification rests with the Judicial Service Commission, not the state government. He further clarified the distinction between leave allowance and leave bonus, noting that leave allowance is a statutory entitlement amounting to 10 per cent of gross earnings, while leave bonus is a discretionary payment made monthly at five per cent.
He added that judiciary workers have not received their March salaries due to the ongoing strike and warned that the industrial action will continue until the government fully meets their demands.
