Abia Judiciary Workers Vow to Persist with Four-Week Strike Over Unresolved Demands
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in Abia State has declared its unwavering commitment to continue a strike that began on March 15, 2026, now entering its fourth week. The union asserts that the industrial action will persist until the state government fully addresses their core demands, which have remained largely unmet despite previous negotiations.
Strike Background and Key Issues
The strike was initially suspended in March 2023 but resumed on March 15, 2026, after the workers reported that only one of their four demands had been implemented. The fulfilled demand was the confirmation of Hon Justice Lilian Abai as the substantive Chief Judge of the state. However, three critical issues remain unresolved, fueling the ongoing protest.
Unimplemented Demands Include:
- Non-implementation of the Head of Service Circular dated January 4, 2026, which approved the Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure (CONJUSS) for Abia State Judiciary, with a commencement date set for January 1, 2015.
- Exclusion of JUSUN members from the payment of Annual Leave Allowance.
- Failure to grant financial autonomy and independence to the state judiciary, a long-standing grievance.
Government Response and Union Rebuttal
In a recent address to journalists, the State Attorney General and Justice Commissioner, Mr. Ikechukwu Uwanna SAN, stated that the government is prepared to pay the alleged owed Leave Allowance within 48 hours, provided JUSUN can produce evidence that CONJUSS payments do not include this allowance, given its "consolidated" nature.
However, the Chairman of Abia State JUSUN, Comrade (Prince) Chinedu Eze, strongly criticized this stance during a press briefing at the Umuahia state Judiciary headquarters on Monday. He accused the government of misrepresenting the facts by focusing solely on the Leave Allowance issue, which he described as a minor component of their grievances.
"The non-payment of Leave Allowance is a small part of our strike," Eze emphasized. "The major issues are the government's refusal to respect financial autonomy and judicial independence, as agreed upon in past agreements."
Historical Context and Ongoing Disputes
Eze recalled that JUSUN and the government entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on April 22, 2015, which led to the suspension of a previous industrial action. According to the union, this MoU included commitments to implement financial autonomy, judicial independence, and commence CONJUSS-based salary payments. The failure to honor these agreements has been a central point of contention.
Additionally, the government has claimed that JUSUN refused to participate in a verification exercise for judiciary staff, similar to those conducted for other government arms. Eze countered this by arguing that the State Judiciary Service Commission, not external consultants hired by the government, should oversee such exercises, as it is responsible for judiciary staff matters. He suggested that the government's approach was a tactic to stall the strike and use economic pressure to force workers back.
The union remains resolute, vowing to continue the strike until all demands are met, highlighting deep-seated issues in the state's judicial sector that require urgent attention.
