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From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The National Industrial Court, Akure Judicial Division, has ordered Ekiti State University(EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, to recall the 32 technologists sacked by the institution in December, 2019.
In the case before the presiding Judge, Justice K.D Damulak, with suit number NICN/AD/03/2020, the plaintiffs dragged EKSU, its Governing Council and Vice Chancellor (first to third defendants respectively) to court, urging it to declare their dismissal as “unlawful, null and void.”
Justice Damulak in the judgment delivered on December 8, but was made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, on Sunday, pronounced that, “The claimants are hereby reinstated to their erstwhile positions in EKSU. The first defendant (EKSU) is hereby ordered to pay the claimants (the 32 technologists) their three months’ salaries owed them before their unlawful disengagement.
“The first defendant (EKSU) is hereby ordered to pay the claimants their salaries, emoluments and allowances and from the date of their unlawful termination till reinstatement today 8th December, 2020 and subsequently till retirement.
“The employment of the claimants with the defendants enjoys statutory flavour. The employment of the claimants with the defendants is hereby regulated by the defendants’ statute, regulations and the claimant’s letter of employment,” the court ordered.
In addition, the court ordered the defendants to pay each claimant cost of N50,000 only.
“The salaries and cost up till today 8th December, 2020 are to be paid within 30 days of this judgment or the amounts will attract 10 per cent interest per annum.”
The 32 technologists had asked the court to determine whether their employments with EKSU enjoyed statutory protection and whether their disengagement was compatible with their status of employments which enjoyed statutory flavour.
Among others, they had sought a declaration of the court that their disengagement as staff of EKSU “in the manner it was done was unlawful, irregular, illegal and therefore null and viod and of no effect.
They also demanded; “An order for the immediate restoration and reinstatement of the claimants to their offices without loss of salaries, promotions, emoluments and other allowances due to them as staff of the First respondent (EKSU).
“Payment of the claimants’ three months salaries, emoluments and other allowances owed them before the purported and unlawful disengagement,” they requested among others.
In opposition, the counsel to the university, had prayed the court not to grant the request of the plaintiffs, saying they had not been able to establish in the case that their appointments with EKSU were unlawfully determined.
