The Abia government has urged the state’s judiciary union leaders to end their strike, which had resulted in fresh protests and prayers in Umuahia on Wednesday.
The Abia Information Commissioner, Mr Okay Kalu, made the appeal while responding to questions by newsmen on the protests.
He expressed shock that such a protest was happening when the parties were still negotiating.
JUSUN had, in November 2024, embarked on an industrial action to protest unpaid salaries and entitlements by the state government.
The strike which began on November 1 was called off on November 11 following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by JUSUN and the Abia Government.
Another strike began on Jan. 2 due to alleged government’s failure to implement the MoU. This action was later called off following the release of N310 million to the union by the state government.
The union, however, resumed its strike on Wednesday, Jan. 22, insisting that the N310 million released so far was a far cry from N900 million contained in the official Audited Wage Bill document for Judiciary workers, approved by Gov. Otti himself.
The union leadership say that workers will return to work whenever the government completes the N900 million payment.
This payment, is to enable them pay their workers their October minimum wage arrears, November and December 2024 salaries with other entitlements.
JUSUN members were seen carrying flags and praying in front of the State High Court complex in Umuahia which was locked.
The Information Commissioner, expressed surprise that JUSUN members were protesting while they were still engaging government in negotiations till late Tuesday night.
The commissioner said that Abia Judiciary was very independent, stressing that their salaries are paid by their office, and not by the Executive arm.
“There is a disconnect somewhere. They can’t be making demands and counter demands unless there is a problem with the union leadership.
“They cannot be talking about 13th month today because the governor said he paid that when he paid them N310 million.
“My advice to the union leaders is to come clean and think seriously about the welfare of their workers.
“Their fate is in their own hands and not really in the hands of the government, because government has done its part.
“If the leadership of the JUSUN is playing politics with the fate of their workers, they should stop playing such politics,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Chinedu Eze, the Chairman, JUSUN, Abia Chapter, told newsmen at the State High Court complex that their members came to pray to God to intervene in their matter with the government.
He said that their members were dying because of lack of funds to take care of themselves and their families, hence their need for God’s intervention.
“One of our members lost her husband last week, and the woman died on Monday.
“We see that such deaths are not a good sign among us, so we decided to call for God’s intervention as Christians that we are.
“We are having a prayer session for God to keep and protect us till the end of this trouble,” Eze said.
He said that it was not in their hands to pay their workers because government had paid only N310 million to the workers, which was not complete.
He said that if the state government had made the complete funds available for them to pay, they would have paid the workers.