Poor Welfare: Cross River magistrates threaten strike, give govt seven-day ultimatum
The Cross River’s chapter of the Magistrates Association of Nigeria has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government to effect the promotion of its stagnated members or face a strike.
In a communiqué at the end of its meeting in Calabar on Wednesday, signed by Godwin Onah and Solomon Abuo, president and secretary, the association said some magistrates had stagnated since 2015.
The association also said the N15,000 monthly impress to magistrates in the state was meagre compared with their colleagues in other states that receive between N200,000 and N250,000 monthly.
They also demanded the rehabilitation of magistrate courts across the state and the non-provision of official vehicles to members.
The magistrates, however, decried what they described as the state’s government’s inability to pay yearly robing allowances to its members as applicable nationwide.
” To protect the welfare of members and uphold minimum standards and sanctity of the magistrates in the state, we need immediate action on our demands.
“Magistrates are seen daily on public or commercial vehicles, most times alongside litigants and criminal suspects standing trial before them; this is a security risk to their lives.
“This will leave magistrates with no other option but to embark on a warning industrial action for two weeks in line with the extant labour laws effective from Wednesday, November 13.
“All services will be withdrawn from Wednesday; thereafter, proceed on an indefinite strike if the government fails to implement their demands,’’ they said.
(NAN)
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