The Abia State Government has described the position of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the ongoing strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) as “unfortunate” and lacking current information.
The Director-General of the Abia State Strategic Communication Bureau, Onyebuchi Ememanka, made the remark while briefing journalists at the Government House in Umuahia alongside the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma. He was reacting to a communiqué issued by the NBA Body of Chairmen in the state, which reportedly gave the government an ultimatum to resolve the judiciary strike or face mass action by lawyers.
Ememanka said the NBA’s stance was based on outdated developments, noting that the state government has maintained continuous engagement with JUSUN and recorded significant progress toward resolving the dispute.
According to him, most of the contentious issues between the government and the union have been addressed, with only the matter of consequential adjustment remaining before a final agreement can be reached. He added that the government deliberately kept negotiation details out of the public space to allow for productive dialogue.
He stated that issues relating to leave allowance, pensioners, and financial autonomy had been resolved or clarified, stressing that talks were ongoing and nearing conclusion.
On claims that the government ignored a request for a courtesy visit by the NBA, Ememanka explained that the correspondence was still undergoing administrative processes. He also noted that a proposed meeting with the Attorney General could not hold as the official was out of the state at the time.
Addressing the issue of leave allowance, which triggered the strike, Ememanka said both parties had agreed that the allowance was already captured in workers’ consolidated salaries, with the government committing to settle outstanding arrears.
He further disclosed that verification of retired judiciary staff was ongoing to facilitate pension payments and assured that the process would remain open to accommodate all affected individuals.
On judicial autonomy, Ememanka maintained that the state was in substantial compliance, noting that funds are released monthly to the judiciary as bulk allocations managed independently by the Chief Judge.
Also speaking, Ferdinand Ekeoma said the government had demonstrated sincerity in resolving the impasse and expressed optimism that JUSUN would soon call off the strike.
He added that the government’s commitment to the judiciary is evident in ongoing infrastructural development, including the construction and rehabilitation of court facilities across the state. According to him, the existing funding structure already allows the judiciary to execute projects and procurement independently, while full autonomy would require broader structural adjustments at the federal level.
AF NEWSPAPER
