The 986 Retirees of the 17 councils of Plateau State, dragged the Governor , Chairmen of local government councils and others to National Industrial Court Court.
They are to appear in court Tomorrow (08/04/2024) to defend the allegations, as claimed by the Local Government Retirees .
In the suit No: NICN/JOS/22/2023;
made available to Journalists in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, and filed by Messrs, Dung Mamman Zi and Zakka T. Plangzak on behalf of 986 other retirees, joined all the defendants for the speedy payment of their retirement claims
The details of the suit as contained in the amended complaint and statement of claims dated January 25, 2024, whereby the claimants are demanding for the money the defendants owned them.
This amount includes unpaid gratuities, pension arrears which was calculated based on 55% of the 18,000 minimum wage (instead of the 100% paid to state civil servants), and other outstanding pension amounts.
"The claimants retired between 2012 and the suit was filed in 2023; and till date have not received their gratuities.
Most of them also have pension arrears dating back to their retirement, and they were only offered half pensions based on the 55% salary agreement.
"This agreement stipulated a temporary 55% salary for local government employees compared to their state-level counterparts.
The remaining 45% was promised upon improvement in government revenue".
According to the claimants' lead counsel, Mr. Edwin Okoro (SAN), the legal basis for the claims is in Sections 210 and 318(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended), which define a Public Officer of the State to include Local Government staff.
Additionally, Sections 16 and 20 of the Local Government Staff Pension Board Law of Plateau State, States that upon retirement, a local government employee is entitled to the same benefits as those at the State level.
The claimants lead counsel Mr Okoro said retirees have the right to request a pension review since the Constitution mandates such reviews whenever salaries are adjusted, given that their pensions was currently based on the 18,000 minimum wage and urged all bodies involved in payment of retirement claims stressing that for recalculation based on the new 30,000 Naira minimum wage.
0 Comments