The Owerri branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has accused Governor Rochas Okorocha of unlawfully sacking 1,000 from the 27 local governments.

The accusation was made by the Owerri branch Chairman of NBA, Lawrence Nwakaeti, in Owerri during the activities marking the beginning of new judiciary year in the state.

Nwakaeti stated that the decision of the state govern­ment to slash the pension arrears of the pensioners by 60 percent was a gross affront on the rule of law and constitutional democracy and an embarrassment.

Already, the NBA has filed a suit against the state government over what it described as the controver­sial policy of forcing pensioners to forfeit 60 percent of their pension arrears.

Nwakeati said, “The Bar under our leadership has challenged this action in court hoping that justice will come to these senior members of our society who have put in the better part of their lives in the service of the state.

“We are doing this on pro bono basis. They de­serve more than what is being given them by the government, saying no one can alter the accrued pension of a pensioner to his advantage.”

Further, he accused Gov Okorocha of series of illegalities, alleging that the state government failed to honour an earlier signed agreement of February 20, 2015 between it and the state Judiciary on the need to grant financial autonomy and independence of the judiciary.”

He said it was morally wrong to use recession as an excuse only for the state government to invest huge sums into Christmas decorations, saying, “I know that the normal excuse will be that there is a recession. We are aware of it, but what is the essence of preaching recession as an excuse and at the same time spending huge sums of money on Christmas decorations?”

•Sourced from The AUTHORITY