The Abia State Government has moved to clarify lingering issues surrounding the ongoing industrial action by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), stating it will settle any verified outstanding payments within 48 hours.
Addressing journalists at Government House, Umuahia, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Ikechukwu Uwanna (SAN), said the government is awaiting documentary evidence from the union to prove claims that judiciary workers are owed leave bonuses.
According to him, findings by the Office of the Accountant General indicate that judiciary workers’ consolidated salaries already include a component referred to as “Leave Bonus,” which the government believes is the same as the “Leave Allowance” being demanded by JUSUN.
“We asked the judiciary to provide us with evidence that there is no component of leave bonus in their salary. Once that is established and confirmed, payment will be made within 48 hours,” Uwanna stated.
He explained that the union had earlier issued a notice threatening industrial action if their demands were not met but failed to provide the requested salary breakdown to support their claims.
Uwanna further noted that under consolidated salary structures, all entitlements are embedded in a single payment package, adding that similar arrangements apply at the federal level, where leave allowances are not paid separately to workers on such schemes.
The Commissioner also raised concerns over the refusal of judiciary staff to participate in a verification exercise initiated by the government, describing it as a major obstacle to resolving salary and pension-related issues.
He disclosed that the verification exercise, scheduled to commence on the same day the strike began, was stalled due to lack of cooperation from JUSUN members.
“One wonders whether this is a coincidence or a deliberate attempt to frustrate the process and sustain irregularities, including the existence of ghost workers,” he said.
Uwanna warned that the continued boycott of the verification exercise is adversely affecting retired judiciary workers, who are currently unable to access their pensions.
He urged JUSUN leadership to suspend the strike and allow the verification process to proceed, stressing that pensioners deserve timely payment of their entitlements.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, reiterated the government’s commitment to workers’ welfare, noting that the administration of Alex Otti prioritizes prompt payment of salaries and resolution of labour disputes.
“This government takes workers’ welfare seriously. It is important that these issues are resolved amicably so that normalcy can return to the civil service,” Kanu said.
In her remarks, the Accountant General of Abia State, Deaconess Njum Onyemanam, emphasized that the judiciary operates its own payroll system and must provide necessary documentation before any payment can be processed.
She maintained that the state government remains committed to paying workers and pensioners on or before the 28th of every month but stressed that due process must be followed.
The government has again called on JUSUN to provide the required evidence, end the strike, and cooperate with verification efforts to enable a swift resolution of the impasse.
