Court bars Imo Govt from demolishing NBA House

An Owerri High Court has issued an interim order restraining the Imo State Government and its agents from demolishing the Owerri Branch office of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
In a suit, No. HOW/ 724/2016 instituted before Justice T. E. Chukwuemeka-Chikeka of Owerri High Court by the NBA Owerri Chairman, Mr. L.U.N. Nwakaeti and Secretary Mr. Ishmael Nkwocha, challenging an alleged plan by Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration to destroy the Bar Center located inside the High Court premises, Orlu road, Owerri.
Other defendants in the suit are the state Attorney General, Commissioner for Works and Housing and Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning. The case has been adjourned to today, December 19, 2016 for further hearing.
While addressing à cross section of newsmen Mr. Nwakaeti, said that it would be in the interest of the state government to obey the court order as anything to the contrary would be an invitation to anarchy in the state. He also used the opportunity to decry Governor Okorocha’s refusal to grant financial autonomy to the state judiciary.
“As we speak, judges in Imo state have not been paid their state allowances since March 2016. Judiciary staff are being owed more than three months’ arrears of unpaid salaries. This is because the governor has refused to hands off money meant for the judiciary.
“It is illegal, constitutional and an impeachable offence. This has killed the judiciary in this state. The federal government and many states have implemented this financial judicial autonomy but Imo has blatantly refused. Right now, the workers in the state judiciary are supposed to be on strike but we are begging them because of what the masses will suffer if they go on strike.”
The NBA also kicked against the alleged 60 percent forfeiture of arrears of unpaid pensions to retirees in the state, saying that it was unheard of that retired public servants would be held under duress to forfeit their pensions and gratuity.
‘Pension is not a gift. It is a legal entitlement which a worker contributes to while in service. Therefore, the alleged document being circulated to pensioners in Imo state to sign off and forfeit their pensions is a worthless document and no court of law will give credence or validity to it. This is madness.
“Pension is fixed by law and one cannot be compelled under an unconscionable contract to change the position of the law. But I feel the governor is not aware of the existence of such an evil document or exercise.”