The Abia State Government has reacted to the protests and prayers staged on Wednesday by members of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, in front of the Umuahia High Court complex along Ikot-Ekpene Road, Umuahia.
Members of JUSUN were seen singing, praying and dancing outside the court, calling on the state government to pay them their claims.
Reacting to the fresh protest, Abia State Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu decried the situation, accusing the leadership of JUSUN of playing politics with judiciary workers’ salaries.
Kanu explained that there was an ongoing meeting between the state government and the leadership of JUSUN on Tuesday and another negotiation scheduled for Wednesday, which according to him had achieved some remarkable progress.
The state government expressed surprise at the protest and organised prayers, saying that leaders of JUSUN are now resorting to politics and insincerity.
“It does appear that there is a disconnect between the leadership of judiciary workers and their members. Their leaders couldn’t have come to negotiate with the government only last night and today engage in a protest. There is a problem somewhere,” said Kanu.
Media Talk Africa recalls that Governor Otti had last week, said that his administration is not owing judiciary workers as it had already released over N300 million since December 2024.
But the leadership of JUSUN swiftly faulted the governor, saying that the state government is owing them N900 million, not N300 million.
