The KWARA state chapter of the Law Officers Association of Nigeria, has asked the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, to implement the harmonization of its payment with Magistrates in the state.
This formed the crux of another letter of appeal, the third in its series, the law officers said has been written to seek implementation of their request to the state Government without response.
Read the full letter below;
18th December, 2023
His Excellency,
The Executive Governor of Kwara State,
Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq,
Government House,
Ilorin.
Dear Sir,
REQUEST FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HARMONIZATION OF STATE COUNSEL WITH MAGISTRATES, PAYMENT OF ALL OUR OUTSTANDING ALLOWANCES AND SALARY ADJUSTMENT.
We commend your Excellency’s exceptional wisdom, administrative profundity and unparallel political wizardry in steering the affairs of the state which have singled out your administration as the most benevolent, public spirited and civil servant friendly in the history of the State.
There is no doubt that your Excellency is leaving an indelible mark on the sands of time.
Sir, it is however saddening, pitiful and pathetic that State Counsel in Kwara State have not received a fair share of your attention and compassion in terms of our welfare and payment of our allowances which we hitherto have been enjoying before this administration despite our complimentary efforts and service to the success of your Excellency’s administration on legal matters at the risk of our lives.
This will be the third in the series of letters of appeal written on the same issue to Your Excellency without response.
FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF HARMONIZATION
In most States of the Federation, State Counsel and Magistrates are harmonized with peculiar allowances; wardrobe, elongated year of service to 65 years, annual end-of-the-year bonus and salary structure.
In Kwara State, the implementation has not been effected and while Magistrates enjoy special salary scale and allowances including end-of-the-year bonuses which the recent economic realities in the country have over shadowed, State Counsel have been left in the lurch when there is currently a clamour for adjustment in salaries generally.
FURNITURE ALLOWANCE
State Counsel have over the years been paid furniture allowance every four years.
When the same allowance was due for payment in 2020 it was appropriated, but up till this moment it has not been paid despite being appropriated in 2021, 2022 and 2023 budget.
Several Memos from the Ministry to access the fund since 2020 have not yielded any positive response.
The non-payment of the furniture allowance has no doubt impacted negatively on the morale of Counsel and they could not count on anything as reward for our commitment to work and other services being rendered in the State.
It is against this backdrop that we most humbly plead with your Excellency for the payment of the 25% of the furniture appropriated for the 1st quarter in the 2023 budget.
SALARY ADJUSTMENT
Enquiries made across the Federation about the salaries of State Counsel shockingly and sadly revealed that State Counsel in Kwara State are the least and worst paid Officers in Nigeria with the lowest salary of N76,565.03 per month for Grade Level 09 Officers, while Grade Level 16 Officers earn N195,954.81 before tax and other deductions.
On the other hand, presently the least paid Grade Level 09 State Counsel in States like Osun, Niger, Ekiti, Oyo and Kogi earn nothing less than N120,000 after tax and other deductions while level 16 officers in those States earn nothing less than N270,000 as against the poor pay of State Counsel in Kwara State.
Attached is a copy of the current salary scale of State Counsel, Osun State pending Salary increment being proposed.
More over, while Kwara State Civil Servants were given two (2) days off duty to cushion the effect of Oil subsidy removal, State Counsel could not observe any off day as their appearance in Court is on a daily basis before different Courts and could not afford to miss Court appearances on the excuse of off duty days.
It is therefore most excruciating, depressing and heartbreaking that State Counsel could be excluded from payment of special allowance despite the fact that we are always at work throughout the week without any off-duty day.
In the light of the foregoing we appeal to the State Government for the review of salaries of State Counsel to bring us at par with those of our counterparts in other States of the Federation.
HAZARD ALLOWANCE
There is no doubt that we State Counsel face the greatest hazards in the performance of our duty.
These range from intimidation and harassment to threat to lives from criminals being prosecuted and those who have served out their prison terms.
Those handling civil cases are also not left out in the harassment by individuals for being on the side of Government in all cases.
The threat is further made possible by the fact that most of us go to Court on commercial Motorcycles (Okada) as there is no operational vehicle to convey them to and from court as obtained in most States of the Federation since most of us could not afford personal cars to enhance our mobility and convenience.
State Counsel in Kwara States are left out in the review of salaries and allowances of other professionals on essential duties who face less risk and imminence of attacks like State Counsel.
At the risk of our lives we are saddled with the prosecution of cases no matter how dare-deviled and highly placed individual involved are when no compensation can assuage the agony of our families if lives are lost (God forbid).
It is against this background we hereby demand for the payment of hazard allowance to State Counsel too.
NBA ANNUAL GENERAL CONFERENCE ALLOWANCE
It is customary of and mandatory for State Counsel to attend every annual General Conference of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) as a means of continuous education and updating ourselves with the latest developments in legal profession and to enhance our productivity.
For this purpose, for the first time in the history of Kwara State we had to sponsor ourselves to the 2023 NBA AGC Conference in Abuja in the hope that we would be reimbursed, but sadly, the money has not been paid to us despite being appropriated in the 2023 budget.
WARD ROBE ALLOWANCE
The 2023 wardrobe allowance of State Counsel has not been paid up till now despite its appropriation in the 2023 budget.
While State Counsel, have been taking N100,000 each, Magistrates are being paid N200,000 each despite harmonization.
In the spirit of harmonization we seek for the upward review of wardrobe allowance of State Counsel to N200,000.
Sir, the contribution of State Counsel to the success of every administration in Kwara State cannot be under estimated particularly on legal matters, including prosecution of criminal and civil matters, defence of indigent citizens’ rights, reconciliation and mediation matters, giving legal advice to MDAs, drafting of legal instruments, prosecution of tax offenders/evaders and defending every action of Government in Court and other ancillary duties but sadly, like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, State Counsel have been ignored, neglected and denied the necessary allowances and salary adjustment that could further enhance their productivity.
It is against the backdrop of the foregoing that we most humbly request for the following;
- Implementation of our harmonization with Magistrates
- Payment of our appropriated furniture allowance
- Adjustment of our salaries
- Payment of hazard allowances
- Payment of our 2023 NBA Annual conference fee
- Payment of our 2023 wardrobe allowance.
We shall be most grateful if our demands are favourably considered.
Sir, please accept the assurances of the warm regards of State Counsel.
Yours faithfully,
____________________ ___________________
Adebisi Medinat Omosolape (Mrs)
Acting Chairman
S.O. Dada
Secretary
CC:
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)
Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.
Attorney General of Kwara State,
Ministry of Justice, Ilorin.
The Honourable Speaker,
Kwara State House of Assembly,
Ilorin.
Majority Leader,
Kwara State House of Assembly.
Senior Special Adviser (SSA)
To the Executive Governor on Legal Matters.
The controller,
Federal Ministry of Labour, Ilorin, Kwara State.
The Chairman,
Trade Union Congress,
Kwara State Chapter.
The National President,
Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN).
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