The National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja has fixed May 19 for judgment in a suit instituted by aggrieved retirees from the six geo-political zones of the country against the federal government over alleged discrimination in the implementation of pension policy in the country. The trial judge, Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, fixed the date Tuesday after counsel to various parties adopted their processes and arguments in the matter. Earlier in the proceedings, the court granted a motion by the counsel to the retirees, Emmanuel Omonuwa, seeking leave of court to file additional facts on oath by the claimants. Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae dismissed the objection to the admissibility of the additional facts by the defendants and held that the additional facts filed by the claimants were to bring to the notice of the court that they were in the service of the defendants before they retired. She held that granting the motion of the claimants for additional facts will not over-reach any of the defendants as claimed in the objection. The retirees are challenging the alleged refusal of the federal government to review their pensions upward in line with the provisions of Section 173 of the 1999 constitution. In the suit marked NICN/ABJ/CS/1310/2022, instituted on their behalf by Chief Chiezonu Okpoko (SAN); the retirees are asking the court to determine the legality and applicability of Section 173 of the 1999 constitution, Pension Acts of 2004 and 2014 and circulars issued by the federal government agencies relating to pension implementations. The claimants who are from the six geo-political zones are Chike Ogbechie, Hajiya Fatima Ahmad, Olarewaju Ale, Vitas Ajaegbu, Alhaji Abubakar Giza, Samuel Oladosu Ajayi, Dama Peter Douglas and Alhaji Muhammed Maccido. The six defendants in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Minister of Labour and Employment, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, the Director General, National Pension Commission and the Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission |
Court fixes May 19 for judgment over retirees’ suit against FG
