Some retired civil servants have dragged the Governor of Enugu state, Hon. Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi, and six others before the National Industrial Court over the failure of the state government to pay their pensions, gratuities, and other entitlements since 2004 till date.
Also joined in the suit as Defendants are; Enugu State Government, Enugu State Water Corporation, Managing Director, Enugu State Water Corporation, Attorney-General Of Enugu State, Accountant-General Of Enugu State, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation And Fiscal Commission.
The claimants are Udeh Christopher M, Agbo Godwin O, Ebunoha Hyacinth, Esomchi Anthony C.,Eneje Samuel U, Are Representing themselves as well as members of the Nigerian Union Of Pensioners Enugu State Water Corporation Chapter, being the retirees/pensioners of the Corporation, including the Estates of the Deceased ones among them.
In a suit number: NICN/EN/25/2022,filed by their counsel, Uche Amulu, Esq and Austin Anaeto, Esq, the Claimant claims against the Defendants jointly and severally as follows:
A DECLARATION that the continued refusal, neglect and failure of the 1st to 4thDefendants to defray their indebtedness to the Claimants by not paying them their due and outstanding pensions and gratuities since 2004 to date is unlawful, dehumanizing and abuse of official powers.
A DECLARATION that all the parties to this suit have a role to play in the final resolution of the impasse that gave rise to the situation that led to this suit and are therefore in a position to aid in the enforcement of the orders/judgment of this Honourable Court.
AN ORDER of this Honourable Court mandating the 1st to 4th Defendants to forthwith pay to the Claimants, including the estates of the deceased ones among them, their due and outstanding pensions and gratuities totalling well over N2, 000, 000, 000.00 (Two Billion naira), together with the interests accruing thereon, unlawfully withheld by the 1st to 4th Defendants.
AN ORDER of this Honourable Court mandating the 5th and 6th Defendants to use their offices to immediately see to the payment to the Claimants all their due and outstanding pensions and gratuities running into well over N2, 000, 000, 000.00 (Two Billion naira), together with the interests accruing thereon, from 2004 to date.
AN ORDER of this Honourable Court mandating 7th Defendant to deduct from source, that is the allocation of the 2ndDefendant, the sum of N2, 000, 000, 000.00 (Two Billion naira) or any other amount that the 1st to 4th Defendants’ pension and gratuities debt to the Claimants may accrue to in defrayment of same.
AN ORDER of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st to 4th Defendants from further tampering with and refusing, neglecting and/or failure to pay the Claimants their pensions and gratuities as they become due.
They also sought the sum of N100, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira only)in punitive and exemplary damages against the 1st and 2nd Defendants for their wanton and willful refusal to pay the Claimants their due and outstanding pensions and gratuities since the year 2004.
10% interest per anum on the total judgment sum until final defrayment thereof, while the cost action assessed in the sum of N5, 000, 000.00 (Five Million Naira).
Uche Amulu, Esq, an Abuja based lawyer whose deceased father and uncle, are part of the pensioners, said the Claimants are asking the Court redress this most unjust, undignified and wanton treatment meted out on them by the 1st to 4th Defendants who have withheld their pensions, gratuities and sundry entitlements for over 19 years and counting.
“They have lost all hopes of being paid their due and outstanding pensions and gratuities by the Defendants,” Amulu added.