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| National Industrial Court Jos Division | Na |
By
Joseph A. Adudu
October
21, 2019
Justice Kenneth I.
Amadi of the National Industrial Court, Jos Division, on Monday in open court, expressed
displeasure over the delay in filing terms of Settlement in a case between the
Jos Electricity Distribution PLC (defendant) versus its former 45
staff (Claimants). The Case with file No. NICN/8/2018 has suffered series of
adjournments since inception at the instance of the defendant.
The claimants
approached the court in 2018 alleging among other issues, termination of their
employment the company without adherence to the clause as contained on the Claimants’
various employment letters on payment of entitlements which was a condition
under which the contractual agreement was made. Consequently, the claimants
want the defendant to pay them the sum of N16. 5 million, which comprises of
the claimants’ one month salaries in lieu of notice;30 per cent balance of the
claimants’ salary for the month of September 2017; 13 days salaries for which the claimants had
worked for in the month of October, 2017 and House Rent allowances for the
claimants entitled.
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| Cross Section of Counsels in the Court room on Monday |
Also, the claimants
are also asking for General Damages in the sum of One Hundred Million Naira
(100,000,000.00) only for psychological trauma, unwarranted economic pain and
undignified treatment of the claimants by the acts of the defendants. The
matter was on 4th July adjourned until 21st October, 2019
for report of settlement or hearing.
When the case file
was called today, counsel for the defendant, J. E Okpe made oral application
for yet another adjournment for continuation with the process of settlement.
However, Counsel for the Claimants, F.A Izang Esq vehemently objected to the
application saying that the defendant was unwilling to make any move towards
settlement since the date of last adjournment. “The defendant has not made any
move since the last day in court. In the circumstances, we ready to continue
with the hearing of the matter. As a matter of fact, we have two of our key
witnesses in court”.
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| Some of the Claimants in Court on Monday |
Counsel for the
defendant however told the court that the delay was as a result of a motion
filed which contained a list of document that ought to be included in the case.
The case was adjourned to 27 and 28 November, 2019 for definite report of
settlement or hearing.
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