Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Abia State Government has appealed to judiciary workers in the state to suspend their ongoing industrial action and return to work, insisting that the dispute over leave allowance can be resolved within 48 hours if the workers provide verifiable evidence to support their claims.
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Umuahia addressed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna (SAN), alongside top government officials including the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu; Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Kingsley Nwokocha; and the Senior Special Assistant on Labour Relations, Godson Anucha.
Uwanna maintained that judiciary workers in Abia State are already receiving leave-related benefits as part of their consolidated salary structure, stressing that what is being demanded as a separate leave allowance is, according to the government, already embedded within existing monthly emoluments.
He explained that the government’s position is based on payroll records and salary architecture adopted for public service workers under consolidated wage arrangements. According to him, under such systems, certain allowances are not itemised separately but are integrated into a single salary package.
The Attorney General challenged the Abia State chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to produce documentary evidence showing that leave allowance or leave bonus is not already included in the consolidated salary structure being paid to judiciary staff.
He stated that if the union is able to demonstrate clearly that such payments are not captured in the current structure, the state government is prepared to process and pay the entitlement within 48 hours without delay. However, he insisted that such payment must be based on verifiable records and established payroll data.
Uwanna further accused the union of proceeding on strike without fully engaging with government requests for payroll documentation that would substantiate its claim. He said repeated efforts by relevant government agencies to obtain detailed breakdowns of the claimed entitlement had not been successful.
According to him, the Office of the Accountant General had earlier requested that the union provide documentation explaining how the leave allowance claim was derived and evidence that such benefits had never been previously paid. He noted that instead of submitting the requested records, the union issued a strike notice.
He maintained that available government records indicate that judiciary workers are already being paid consolidated emoluments that include components such as leave bonuses, and that there is no additional standalone allowance to be processed outside the existing structure.
Drawing comparisons with other sectors of the public service, the Attorney General explained that consolidated salary structures are widely used across government employment systems, including federal arrangements, where allowances are often merged into a single pay package rather than paid separately.
He argued that the current misunderstanding appears to stem from differences in interpretation of the salary structure rather than a deliberate attempt to withhold payments. He insisted that the issue can be resolved quickly if both parties agree to rely on verified payroll records.
Beyond the salary dispute, the Abia State Government expressed concern over the refusal of judiciary workers to participate in an ongoing staff verification exercise, which it described as critical to maintaining transparency in the state’s payroll system and ensuring accurate pension administration.
Uwanna disclosed that the verification exercise had been scheduled to commence around the same period the strike action began. He noted that the timing had raised questions within government circles, particularly as the exercise is aimed at addressing long-standing issues relating to payroll accuracy and pension processing.
He warned that failure to participate in the verification process could undermine efforts to eliminate irregularities within the system, including the continued existence of ghost workers or inaccurate staff records that may affect salary and pension payments.
The government also linked the verification exercise to the challenges currently faced by retired judiciary staff, many of whom are said to be experiencing delays in accessing their pensions due to incomplete or unverified records.
Officials appealed to the union to consider the impact of the strike on pensioners and other vulnerable beneficiaries, urging them to suspend the industrial action to allow the verification process to be concluded without further delay.
The Attorney General said the government’s priority is to ensure that both active workers and retirees receive what is due to them, but stressed that this can only be achieved through proper documentation and due process.
The Accountant General of Abia State, Njum Onyemanam, also addressed the briefing, clarifying the financial arrangement between the state government and the judiciary under the principle of financial autonomy.
She explained that under the current structure, the government releases monthly allocations in bulk to the judiciary, which is responsible for managing its internal payroll and staff disbursement independently.
According to her, the Ministry of Finance does not handle the internal breakdown of how salaries and allowances are distributed within the judiciary, but expects that all claims made by any arm of government must be backed by verifiable documentation when necessary.
She reiterated that the state government remains committed to the prompt payment of salaries and pensions across all sectors, but stressed that accountability and proper record-keeping must guide all financial processes.
She added that once the judiciary provides the required documentation supporting its claims, the government is fully prepared to act on any legitimate financial obligations without delay.
As the dispute continues, the Abia State Government maintained that the responsibility now lies with the striking judiciary workers to either return to work and submit to verification or present concrete evidence supporting their demand for separate leave allowance payments.
The standoff has continued to affect judicial activities across the state, with both sides holding firm positions. While the government insists the issue can be resolved within a short timeframe through verification and documentation, the strike action has remained in place, deepening uncertainty over the resolution of the crisis.
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