The Abia State Government has urged judicial workers in the state to hold their management accountable for any lapses in salary payments, following controversies surrounding alleged unpaid wages.
Speaking at a press briefing after the State Executive Council meeting on Monday, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, refuted claims that the government had failed to fulfil its financial obligations to the judiciary.
Kanu disclosed that the state government had released over ₦300m to the judiciary for salary payments within the past year, with the funds now in the custody of the judiciary’s management.
“The government has met its obligations by releasing over ₦300m. The question now is, Why hasn’t the management of the judiciary disbursed the funds to their workers?” he asked.
Addressing the issue of judicial independence, Kanu clarified that while the judiciary operates as an independent arm of government, it still relies on the executive for financial remittances.
“Judicial independence does not mean mismanagement of funds,” he said. “If the judiciary has received its subvention, the expectation is that the management will prioritize the payment of workers’ salaries.”
He argued that while judicial workers have been vocal about alleged unpaid wages, their management should be held responsible for any delays or lapses in salary disbursement.
“It is surprising that despite these payments, judicial workers are still making claims of being deceived. The funds are with the judiciary, so their management needs to explain why workers are not being paid. This is a matter of accountability,” Kanu said.
Speaking further on the issue, the special adviser to the governor on media and publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, criticized the judiciary for refusing to engage with the government on salary-related discussions. He revealed that invitations for dialogue were sent to the judiciary to address discrepancies in salary figures, but these were not honoured. Instead, the judiciary reportedly presented arbitrary figures to the government without prior consultation.
He explained that judicial workers currently receive a minimum wage higher than their counterparts in other sectors. He added that the government increased their wage offer to ₦83,000, surpassing the state’s civil service minimum wage of ₦70,000. However, the judiciary has demanded adjustments beyond what the government considers sustainable.
Ekeoma reiterated the administration’s readiness to engage in dialogue but called on judicial workers to demand transparency and accountability from their leadership.
“This government has demonstrated its commitment to workers’ welfare. It is now up to the judiciary’s management to fulfil their responsibility to their staff,” Kanu concluded.