“Iam Not Owing: Hold Judiciary Accountable For Workers’ Ordeal”  –  Gov Otti To NBA

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Amidst a five day ultimatum issued by the Nigerian Bar Association ,NBA ,for the resolution of the ongoing face-off between the Judiciary workers and Abia State Government, Governor Alex Otti ,has denied owing workers salaries, including the staff of the Judiciary.

The Source reports that Judiciary workers in Abia, under the auspices of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, had on Thursday, January 2, 2025, resumed their suspended strike action .

The Workers earlier in October, 2024,  had embarked on an indefinite industrial action to press home their demands for improved welfare conditions, payments of accumulated entitlements, gratuities and the capturing of JUSUN in the payments of the new N70,000 minimum wage.

However, the strike action was later suspended following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between the State Government and the Union .

The Workers cited the non- Implementation of the terms of the MoU as the major reason for reactivating the strike action on January 2.

Worried about the devastating effects of the strike action on the administration  of justice, the five branches of NBA in the State, on Thursday, January 9, 2025, called on the Abia State authorities to, within five working days, resolve the disagreement with the workers .

Rising from an emergency meeting in Aba, the Body of Abia NBA regretted that the  disagreement and resultant strike action has left the courts and left litigants and other stakeholders  stranded .

According to a communique jointly issued by the Chairmen of the five NBA branches of Aba, Ukwa, Isiala Ngwa ,Umuahia and Ohafia, the locking up courts has led to anguish on the part of pretrial inmates, stalling of criminal prosecutions, as well as denying citizens access to justice.

But ,reacting to the NBA position on Sunday, January 12, 2025, the State Governor Dr Otti, insisted that the Judiciary arm should be held accountable for any disruption in the payments of the workers salaries and emoluments .

Speaking during a Church service to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day ,in Umuahia, the Governor informed that ,his administration does not  pay the Judiciary workers directly, but remits funds to the Judiciary arm for the purpose .

He noted that  his Government had since December, remitted over N300 million to the coffers of the Judiciary for the payments of the workers salaries

He therefore insisted that his administration  should not be blamed for any lapses in the payments of the workers salaries ,including the new minimum wage .

“This is a Government that does not owe its workforce .It is untrue that Judiciary workers have not been paid .

“The problem began with the approval of the N70,000 minimum wage .At that time efforts were made to engage  the Judiciary workers the same way the organized labour was interfaced with on  how to work out the payments .

“But the Judiciary staff refused to cooperate, and instead initially opted to carry out their own independent computation .

“The matter at a point got serious ,so I personally intervened and engaged with the state’s ChiefJudge .We reviewed their (Judiciary workers ) calculations of the new minimum wage, band discovered several errors ,which were subsequently corrected.

“Based on the reconciled templates , on December, 24, 2024, we remitted the sum of N 283 ,242 ,318 .50 to the Judiciary’s account for salary payments.

“I personally worked with the Accountant General ,the Commissioner for Justice ,and the Finance Commissioner to ensure that the processes were completed before the Christmas .

“Later, we remitted another N 27million to the Judiciary, bringing the total to about N 300 million, including making provisions for the payments of 13th month salary as was given to others in the state .

“Judiciary is an independent arm of the Government. Our job is to remit the money to their account ,and it is their duty to pay their workers.

“Curiously, as at this morning, (Sunday January, 12 2025), they have refused to pay their workers. So, we should not be blamed for the inability of the workers to receive their salaries.

“We have done our own part. The workers are yet to receive their salaries due to delays within the Judiciary”, Governor Otti stated.