Your retirements as sure as death, prepare for it, judiciary workers told in Anambra

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka

Judiciary workers under the aegis of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Anambra State branch, have been advised to begin early to prepare for their retirement as it is a sure thing that must happen in their life.

The advice was given during a one-day workshop for judiciary workers in Onitsha, Otuocha, Idemili and Ogbaru Judicial Divisions. It was held at the High Court Complex, Onitsha, Anambra state.

One of the speakers, Augustine Ezeanata, advised workers to take the issue of planning for retirement seriously to prevent them from dying miserably after long years of active service.

According to him, “Many workers are not prepared for retirement. Retirement like nightfall, is sure to happen to every employee and worker, hence the need to be mentally and physically prepared for it.”

Delivering a paper entitled: “Preparing for Retirement from Public Service,” Ezeanata who retired as a Director of Planning in the state judiciary said an average worker in Nigeria is challenged by low income, inflation, lack of affordable houses, social responsibilities, and so on.

To him, “The possibility that a worker would retire is as sure as death; that is, it must happen at the appropriate time. If anything is sure to happen, then must be prepared for it. Just as there is a day for entering the service, there is an equal day for leaving the service.

“Since retirement is as sure as death, we are reminded to put our house in order before it would be too late. Don’t let it take you unaware. Once it is over, it is over.”

Ezeanata recommended time consciousness, savings programs, investment planning, reduced spending habits, documentation, as we as managing assets and liabilities as ways judicial workers could maintain financial and non-financial retirement plan.

He encouraged every staff to have an investment and nurture it for long-term gain. He also advised them on acquisition of skills that will keep them relevant after retirement.

Taking the participants numbering over 500 on “Effective Management of Court Records and Exhibits”, Chief Basil Mbanefo, a retired director of administration, and former national secretary of JUSUN, reminded them of the importance of exhibits as proof of a case or claim in the judicial process and the need to guide them jealously on behalf of the court and individuals that filed them.

Mbanefo who is also a former chairman of JUSUN Anambra branch, while speaking on “Formal outfit and conduct of nonjudicial personnel: expectations and sanctions,” stressed that workers must have the channels of communication at their fingertips to be able to smoothly run the affairs of the judiciary.

In the other lectures Obadiegwu Mbanefo, Hon Pascal Igweka, and Chief Victor Obianyo drilled the participants on the “Nature of Appeals and Procedures for Compilation with emphasis on settlement of records”, “Research and Statistics Solving, Institutional and Court Registry Challenges; and “Record Keeping, Accountability and Transparency in Personal Development in the State Judiciary.”

Also, Elvis Onyemerekam, a retired assistant registrar took the judiciary staff on enforcement of judgment and treatment of the attached goods, while Osita Obiakor trained them on reception, custody, and retrieval of wills.

One-time Chief Bailiff in Anambra and President of Judiciary Pensioners, Mr. Obienu Nnabuife, said the training has duely prepared judiciary workers in the state for improved service delivery, a participant, Mrs Raluchi Ifeadi, said knowledge gathered would help them improve in their service to the public.

Speaking to Ikengaonline, Chairman, JUSUN, Anambra State branch, Comrade Ezeoke Henry Ifeanyichukwu, said the essence of the workshop was to build the capacity of Judiciary workers to serve the public better.

“Every staff of Anambra state judiciary deserves training because that is the possible way that can assure their development. We felt we needed to orient and reorient the staff of the judiciary to prepare and strengthen them for the task ahead.

“Today’s training was for Onitsha, Otuocha, Idemmili and Ogbaru divisions. Very soon we’ll be organizing it for Awka, Umunze, Nanka, Achina, Nnewi, Ihiala, and the rest. We decided to organize it division by division to accommodate them because of the hardship in the country, ” he said.

Ezeoke charged the participants to take whatever they had learned home and implement it in their various offices. He also urged them to extend the knowledge learned to their colleagues to perform better on the job.