The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) Abia State chapter has begun a strike over what it claims is a missing leave allowance, bringing judicial proceedings in the state to a halt. At a press briefing in Government House, Umuahia, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Barrister Ikechukwu Uwanna SAN said the government asked the union for the method used to calculate the claim and proof that the allowance is not already embedded in the consolidated salary structure. The Office of the Accountant General reportedly confirmed that the "leave bonus" is already part of the regular payroll for judiciary staff. Uwanna noted that the union has not produced any supporting documentation despite repeated requests and warned that payment would be made within 48 hours if credible evidence of exclusion is supplied. Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, has been credited with ending salary arrears, ensuring staff and retirees receive their entitlements on or before the 28th of each month and moving toward gratuity payments. The union's opposition to verification exercises, which have cleared payrolls in other ministries, is highlighted as a factor delaying pension payments to retired judges.
The strike underscores a puzzling reversal: a union that should safeguard workers' rights is now demanding proof that a benefit already accounted for in the payroll exists. By shifting the evidentiary burden onto JUSUN, the state government exposes the union's reluctance to engage with transparent financial processes.
Governor Alex Chioma Otti's administration has built a reputation for prompt salary and pension payments, with staff receiving wages by the 28th of each month and retirees finally seeing regular disbursements. In that climate, JUSUN's refusal to cooperate with verification exercises—already completed in other sectors—appears out of step with the broader push for accountability. The Attorney General's offer to settle any genuine shortfall within 48 hours further isolates the union's position.
For ordinary Nigerians, the impasse threatens timely pension payments to retired judges, many of whom depend on these funds for basic living expenses. Court users may also experience delays as the judiciary's operations remain disrupted by the strike, affecting case filings and hearings across the state.
The episode fits a recurring pattern where professional unions resist reforms that threaten entrenched payroll arrangements, often at the expense of both public finance and the workers they claim to represent.
