By FATIMA MOHAMMED-LAWAL

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) has declared total support for its members in Kwara over their demand for improved welfare.

In a statement made available to newsmen, on Friday in Ilorin by its national chairman and secretary, Messrs Ernest Edomwonyi and Adesoji Afolabi, respectively, the association threatened a nationwide strike in solidarity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the members of LOAN, Kwara Ministry of Justice, had earlier issued a seven-day notice of indefinite strike over alleged poor welfare.

After the expiration of the seven-day warning, the members of LOAN embarked on indefinite strike, however, the state government responded with a “No-work, No-pay” policy.

LOAN in the statement said it received with “deep concern” the notice of industrial action from its Kwara chapter.

The NEC threatened to direct its members nationwide to embark on solidarity strike if the Kwara government failed to meet the workers’ demands.

It explained that the strike was triggered by the Kwara government’s continued failure to address several longstanding welfare issues affecting law officers.

The Law Officers are agitating for payment of the 50 per cent outstanding Furniture Allowance for 2020; Full payment of the 2024 outstanding Furniture Allowance and Payment of Robe Allowances for 2024, 2025 and 2026.

“Others are full implementation of the harmonization of salaries and allowances and general conditions of service of State Counsel with those of Magistrates in the Kwara State Judiciary, in line with the 2005 harmonization approval,” they said.

The NEC described the demands as legitimate, reasonable and necessary for the effective functioning of the state’s justice delivery system.

According to the statement, law officers are critical stakeholders whose welfare should not be neglected.

“NEC identifies with the struggle of Law Officers in Kwara, as their demands are legitimate and reasonable in all circumstances and are intended to ensure their effective and continued participation in the State’s justice delivery system as critical stakeholders,” they said.

The union further stated that the struggle of Kwara law officers was not isolated but represented a collective fight for the rights of law officers nationwide.

“The Law Officers in Kwara State, and indeed across the Federation, must be appreciated and given their fair dues.

“The struggle by Kwara Law Officers is a collective one, one that all Law Officers in the Federation will not shy away from and will not hesitate to join should their demands not be acceded to by the Kwara State Government,” it said.

The NEC said that it had formally endorsed the industrial action embarked on by the Kwara Chapter until all the workers’ demands are fully met.

It also urged the Kwara Government, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and the Head of Service to urgently commence sincere negotiations with the law officers to end the impasse.

Similarly, the national body directed all state chapters of LOAN across Nigeria to remain on standby pending further directives on whether to join the industrial action if the Kwara Government fails to resolve the dispute.

It pledged to continue monitoring developments in the state and vowed to take further lawful collective action if necessary.

In his reaction to the development, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin Branch, Mr Jimoh Muhammad, pledged the bar’s support to the ongoing industrial action by the LOAN, Kwara Chapter.

He condemned the threat of “no work, no pay” policy invoked by the state government against the striking law officers.

The NBA chairman described the government’s position as “undemocratic,” insisting that workers could not be punished simply for demanding what they believe are their legitimate rights under the law.

According to him, dialogue, not threats or punitive measures, remains the only path to resolving the crisis.

He said that the NBA had formally intervened by writing to the governor, the Head of Service, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, while also copying the Chief Judge of the state.

According to him, the Association had consistently advocated dialogue as the appropriate mechanism for resolving the dispute.

“But the unfortunate development that happened yesterday is quite unexpected and is something that to me is a bit undemocratic,” he said.

Muhammad criticised the government’s reported threat to enforce a “no work, no pay” policy against the striking law officers, stressing that workers have a constitutional and democratic right to seek improved welfare and working conditions.

According to him, the workers have right to ask for what they presume to be their right and that they are entitled to it.

“But in asking for their rights, the government should not use that as a tool to punish the injured persons,” he said.

The NBA chairman observed that the law officers had made enormous sacrifices in the discharge of their duties to the state, particularly those handling criminal prosecutions, often placing themselves in dangerous situations while carrying out official assignments.

Muhammad, who clarified that the NBA could not legally participate in the strike, however, assured that the association would continue defending the interests of the law officers. (NAN)