The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has tasked Governor Alex Otti to urgently implement the new national minimum wage for judiciary workers in the state to end the industrial action embarked on by their union since January 2, 2025.

The NBA under the umbrella of the body of chairmen of NBA branches in the state, said it is deeply concerned over the continued closure of courts following the strike declared by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, due to non-payment of the new minimum wage.

In a communique signed by the 5 NBA branch chairmen; Charles Onuchukwu(Aba Branch); Isaac Anya(Umuahia branch); Eze Nwaegoro( Isiala Ngwa branch), K.O.K Ojike,(Ohafia branch) and Kingsley Nwachi(Ukwa branch), at the end of its meeting in Aba, the NBA noted that the action of JUSUN to embark on the industrial action aligned with the directives of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the national leadership of JUSUN which mandated affected state branches to enforce the strike action over the non-payment of the new national minimum wage and other salary adjustments under the consolidated judicial salary structure for judicial staff in the state.

The body of the branch chairmen also decried what it described as the multiple failures of the Otti administration in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, reached with JUSUN, leading to recurring industrial strike actions.

The NBA chairmen also resolved to engage the state government to ensure that the demands of the judicial workers are met within 5 working days and end the strike action.

It lamented that there is a total absence of justice in the state with inmates endlessly awaiting trial and jail terms extended.

“Those granted bail before the strike are unable to process their bail terms to regain freedom. Pre-trial inmates who are presumed innocent until otherwise are still under custody as they lack access to court to seek bail. The judiciary is losing huge revenue with the continued closure of courts.

“Most lawyers, especially the young ones whose survival depends on daily appearance fees are currently being suffering due to the action of the government.”

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