The Cross River State chapter of the Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN) has threatened to down its tools should the state governor, Bassey Otu, fail to clear the backlog of salary the state government owed its members since 2015.
The magistrates also issued a seven-day ultimatum to the governor, warning that if he does not heed their cry, they will have no option but to commence their plans to begin industrial action and disrupt court operations in the state.
The chairman of the Magistrate’s Association of Nigeria (MAN), Cross River State branch, His Lordship Godwin Onah, gave the warning during the association’s general Congress on November 5, 2024, in Calabar.
He said the warning became necessary due to the state government’s insensitivity to the association’s welfare.
The MAN chairman urged the state governor to fulfil all his obligations for the smooth functioning of the justice system, stressing that magistrates’ low morale could disrupt court operations and affect the timely delivery of justice.
A communique signed by MAN chairman Godwin Onah and general secretary of Cross River State Magistrates Solomon Abuo, sighted by LEADERSHIP Friday, warned that if the government does not respond to their demands, they will be left with no option but to shut down courts.
The communique, dated November 5, 2024, was issued at the end of a congress that took place at the Chief Magistrate’s Court Complex Calabar. It threatened to shut down the courts unless their demands were attended to.
“Why would the state government fail to implement our promotions since 2015 despite the fact that between January and April 2024, the state governor, Bassey Otu, has effected the promotion of other civil servants?
“The 15,000 paid to our members as monthly impress is grossly inadequate to cover stationery, among other office expenses. Why can’t he pay N250,000 or N200,000 impress as received by our counterparts in other states? “
Other issues that the magistrates agitated for include payment of the yearly robing allowance, provision of official accommodation, and implementation of promotion and regularisation of magistrates with necessary financial benefits across all cadres.
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