The Ebonyi State Government on Friday threatened to sack members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria in the state if they failed to immediately suspend their ongoing strike.
The judiciary workers embarked on the indefinite strike on August 13 over non-implementation of the Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure by the state government, defiing a threat by Governor David Umahi who threatened at a state function that he would sack them if they embarked on strike.
The government’s order for the suspension of the strike was conveyed in a statement issued on Friday in Abakaliki by the state’s Head of Service, Dr Chamberlain Nwele, mandating the JUSUN leadership to immediately comply with the order.
“JUSUN members in the state are therefore directed to return to work on Friday, August 14 or risk being dismissed from service.
“Attendance of judiciary staff will be taken by state government officials, to aid payment of August 2020 salary,” the statement read.
Nwele also noted in the statement that Governor Umahi considers the strike as an act of sabotage which the government will not tolerate.
“This is a period when other states of the federation are unable to pay workers’ salaries due to the negative impact of COVID-19.
“The Ebonyi Government has painstakingly ensured that salaries of workers are consistently paid.
“It, therefore, believes that agitation for salary increase at this time when the state‘s revenue is on steady decline is unpatriotic”, Nwele said.
