Strike: Don’t trivialise our demand for financial autonomy – JUSUN replies Abia govt
Abia State Judiciary Staff Union Challenges Claims of Financial Autonomy Compliance
The Abia State chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has labeled the state government’s assertion of substantial compliance with judicial financial autonomy as “untenable.”
The response comes following a press conference held by Abia State officials Onyebuchi Ememanka and Ferdinand Ekeoma, who claimed that ongoing negotiations with JUSUN had resolved most grievances raised by judiciary workers.
In a statement signed by Chairman Chinedu Ezeh and Secretary Chibueze Nwachukwu, JUSUN argued that the government’s claims are misleading and premature, given that negotiations remain unresolved. They stressed that the issue of financial autonomy is rooted in constitutional provisions and should not be minimized.
The union referred to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly Sections 121(3) and 162(9), which mandate direct funding of the judiciary from the Consolidated Revenue Fund as a first-line charge. This requirement is bolstered by existing court judgments and relevant executive orders.
JUSUN’s statement highlighted that the current system, in which funds are dispensed to the judiciary at the discretion of the accountant-general, fails to meet constitutional standards for financial autonomy.
Moreover, the union noted that the state government has not released funds earmarked for the judiciary’s salaries and operations for March and April 2026. This failure to provide necessary funding, which was approved in the budget, includes allocations for official events such as seminars and training for judges, magistrates, and staff.
“This reality directly contradicts any claim of ‘substantial compliance,’” the JUSUN executives asserted.
On the matter of staff verification and pensions, JUSUN reiterated that the verification of judiciary personnel falls exclusively under the jurisdiction of the Judicial Service Commission, rather than external consultants.
