Judiciary Workers Advised to Make Early Preparations for Retirement
By Praise Chinecherem
Judiciary workers in Anambra State have undergone training on retirement planning, record keeping and other skills relevant for the smooth discharge of duties at their work place.
The one-day workshop was held at the High Court Complex, Onitsha, for judiciary workers in Onitsha, Otuocha, Idemili and Ogbaru Judicial Divisions.
Delivering a paper entitled: “Preparing for Retirement from Public Service,” Augustine Ezeanata, a retired Director of Planning in the state judiciary advised workers to take the issue of planning for retirement seriously to prevent them from dying miserably after long years of active service.
His words: “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 on “Effective Management of Court Records and Exhibits”, Chief Basil Mbanefo, a retired Director of Administration, and former Chairman of JUSUN, Anambra state, 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.
In the other lectures, Obadiegwu Mbanefo, Hon Pascal Igweka, and Chief Victor Obianyo drilled the participants on: “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 prepared judiciary workers in the state for improved service delivery. Another 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.
Comrade 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.