The Abia chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria says its ongoing strike was prompted by the Governor Alex Otti’s administration’s failure to implement financial autonomy for the judiciary.

The chairman of the union, Chinedu Ezeh, said this on Monday, while briefing journalists in Umuahia on the union’s industrial action.

Mr Eze said that the union’s demands were beyond the issue of pending leave allowance as claimed by the Abia government.

“The unpaid leave allowance is not the main reason for this strike. It’s a small component of our demands,” Mr Ezeh said.

He restated that the union was seeking respect for the judiciary’s financial independence, as set out in the June 2023 memorandum of understanding.

The government had attributed the strike, which began on March 13, to the dispute over outstanding leave allowance.

Abia’s attorney general, Ikechukwu Uwanna, had urged the union leaders to suspend the strike to allow for pension verification and payment for retired judiciary staff.

However, Mr Ezeh insisted that JUSUN’s demand “centred on the government respecting the judiciary’s financial autonomy and independence”.

According to him, the leave allowance and leave bonus are distinct, with the former being statutory (10 per cent of gross earnings), and the latter a privilege (five per cent paid monthly).

He disagreed with the government’s call for pension verification, arguing that the exercise was the responsibility of the Judicial Service Commission.

“Workers haven’t received March salaries due to the strike, which will continue until our demands are met,” Mr Ezeh said. 

(NAN)