Court orders FG to pay ex-NITEL/ MTEL staff 20% of annual salary

The National Industrial Court Abuja
has ordered the Federal Government to pay
the former staff of NITEL/MTEL their final
entitlement representing 20 per cent of their
annual salary within 30 days.



Justice Peter Lifu (JP), who gave the
judgment in Abuja, however, dismissed three
other claims by the claimants.

The claimants had prayed the court to order
the payment of three months’ salary in lieu of
notice as their final entitlement.

Furthermore, they had demanded payment for
loss of office and redundancy in line with
section 11 sub-section 12 and 13 of staff
condition of service and the existing labour
law, general damages and cost of suit.

The judge only upheld the demand for
repatriation which is the final entitlement and
dismissed their claim of N20 billion as
general damages and N10 million cost of
suit.

In dismissing the prayer for the payment of
damages and cost of litigation, the judge
stated that there was no evidence of
suffering, trauma or torture throughout the
trial, neither did the claimants show how
they the cost of litigation.

On redundancy, the judge refused the
demand on grounds that they resigned
voluntarily and could not be paid
compensation.

The judge stressed that if the repatriation
was not paid within 30 days, it would attract
10 per cent interest.

Mohammed Jiyah and 197 ex-staff of the
erstwhile government establishments had
filed the suit against the 1st to 6th
defendants at the Federal High court on Jan.
20, 2011.

.The case was later transferred to NIC in
April 2013.

The defendants are Bureau of Public
Enterprises, Nigeria Telecommunications
Limited, Mobile Telecommunications Limited,
Giants Consultants Limited, Attorney General
& Minister of Justice and Accountant-
General of the Federation.

The plaintiffs’ claims dated back to Oct. 31,
2006, when the management of NITEL/MTEL
was taken over by Transcorp following a
privatization transaction.

In his reaction, the claimants’ Counsel,
Akenuwa Wilfred, expressed satisfaction with
the judgment, as one of the claims was
granted.

He said the judgment was very detailed,
adding that they were going home with
something. (NAN)