The Abia state government has called on the striking judiciary workers to immediately suspend their industrial action and participate in an ongoing staff verification exercise, warning that refusal could trigger a comprehensive audit of personnel.
It said the dispute over leave allowance could be resolved within 48 hours if the workers, under the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), provide credible evidence to support their claims.
Addressing journalists in Umuahia on Friday, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna (SAN), said judiciary employees already receive leave benefits embedded in their consolidated salary structure.
Uwanna who was joined by the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu; Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Kingsley Nwokocha; and Senior Special Assistant on Labour Relations, Godson Anucha, challenged the union to prove that leave bonus, also known as leave allowance, is not included in their current remuneration package.
He assured that the government would authorise payment within 48 hours if the claim is verified.
“If it is confirmed that no such component exists in their salary, payment will be made without delay,” he said.
The state government, however, accused JUSUN of embarking on strike action without submitting necessary payroll records to justify its demands.
Uwanna noted that repeated requests to the union for documentation detailing how the leave allowance claim was computed had not been met.
“Rather than provide the required information, the union issued a strike notice,” he said, adding that available records indicate that leave bonuses are already part of judiciary workers’ earnings.
Drawing parallels with other sectors, the attorney-general said workers under a consolidated salary system, including federal employees, do not typically receive separate leave allowances.
Beyond the salary dispute, the government expressed concerns over the union’s refusal to take part in a verification exercise aimed at updating staff records, an exercise it said is critical to processing pensions for retired judiciary workers.
The verification was scheduled to begin on the same day the strike commenced, raising questions about the timing of the industrial action.
He warned that failure to participate in the exercise could allow irregularities, including the existence of ghost workers, to persist within the system.
The government also appealed to the union to consider the plight of pensioners whose benefits have been delayed due to the stalled verification process.
“We urge them to return to work so the exercise can be completed and retirees can receive their entitlements,” Uwanna said.
