Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and his administration has been condemned for owing lawyers in the Imo State Ministry of Justice salaries for about 12 months. The governor received this knock recently from an Owerri-based lawyer and former Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Imo State Barrister Emperor Iwuala.

Barr Iwuala who is also a renowned journalist in the state decried a situation whereby lawyers in the state Ministry of Justice undergo untold hardship because of non-payment of their salaries by the Okorocha-led government.
‘Following Governor Okorocha’s policies, it is clear that the governor is out to destroy the judiciary and the legal profession. This is an abuse of Human Right and the dignity of man. It is evil and wickedness because a worker deserves his wage.

How can Okorocha owe government lawyers for about 12 months yet he is happy going on a motor convoy of more than 50 vehicles and travels on private jets? These law officers have families to take care of. Yet the governor is bent on reducing their salaries by 70%’, he decried. On the justification for the salaries of the embattled lawyers, Barr Iwuala said that government lawyers in Imo State sponsor government cases from their salaries.

‘Law officers in Imo State file, sponsor and pay for all expenses in government cases up to Supreme Court with their salaries. They also buy clothe, pay for their medical care, NEPA bills, house rent, books, research and sponsor other personal and family responsibilities from the same salary’. As we are talking now, they are also borrowing money to sponsor government cases since the salaries are not coming.’ Regrettably, since the inception of the Okorocha’s administration in Imo State, law officers from the state have not been sponsored to any Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), promoted or encouraged. Yet they are meant to defend the very many atrocities and legal blunders the governor commits every day’, he said.

Continuing, Barr. Iwuala said that the irony in the saga was that the embattled lawyers in question were entreated to call off the strike they embarked on because of the crisis yet more than a month the strike was suspended, that there had not been any response from the state government.

On the governor’s alleged claim that he refused to pay the workers because they lose government cases in courts, Barr. Iwuala blamed it on the governor saying that the governor does not consult the lawyers before formulating policies and taking most actions. He however, condemned the act whereby NBA handed over the issue to a Senior Advocate whom he said is a paid personal counsel to the governor.

He therefore called on all stakeholders like the Association of Senior Civil Servants, the NBA, judges and the Nigeria Labour Congress to take appropriate action that will give the problem the solution it deserves.