Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN), Cross River State chapter, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government to effect the promotion of magistrates.
The magistrates also made other sundry demands, insisting that failure to meet with those demands would lead to a two-week warning strike.
They threatened to withdraw their services from November 13, as a warning strike and subsequently embark on an indefinite strike.
The magistrates issued the warning in a communique by their Association’s Chairman, His Worship, Godwin Onah, and the General Secretary, His Worship, Solomon Abuo, at the end of a congress held at the Chief Magistrate’s Court Complex in Calabar.
The magistrates said the state government had failed to implement their promotions since 2015 despite the fact that between January to April, 2024, the state Governor, Senator Bassey Otu has effected the promotion of other civil servants in the state.
Among others, they also accused the state government of paltry payment and what they described as ridiculous sum of N15,000 as monthly impress for magistrates.
According to them, the amount is grossly inadequate to cater for office stationery and other logistics, lamenting that, their counterparts in neighboring states receive between N200,000 to N250,000 monthly imprest.
They demanded for the immediate implementation of promotion and regularization of Magistrates in the state with necessary financial benefits across all cadres as well as the implementation of all accrued arrears.
Immediate provision of official vehicles to all Magistrates in Cross River State and payment of at least N200, 000 monthly impress to all Magistrates in Cross River State.
Onward payment of yearly robing allowance to Magistrates. Provision of official accommodation to Magistrates of Cross River State and undertaking burial expenses for any deceased magistrate.
Others include, the immediate payment of the earned and accrued two years’ salary arrears for 2019 batch of Magistrates and the renovation of the dilapidated Magistrate’s courts in Cross River State.
They called for immediate action to address the issues, emphasizing that the delay in the process has led to frustration and demoralization among judicial officers.
The Congress further resolved that, “failure of government to hearken to the cry of Magistrates and grant the above demands within seven days, would leave Magistrates with no option than to embark on a warning industrial action for two weeks in line with the extant labour laws effective Wednesday 13th November, 2024, by withdrawing our services across the State at the first instance, and subsequently embarking on an indefinite strike action until our demands are fully attended to.”
