National Industrial Court Makurdi Division in Benue State has commenced enforcement of creditors judgment case to recover over one billion Naira for a group of retirees in Nasarawa State.
A group of retirees numbering 170 under the aegis of Patriotic Local Government Pensioners Forum Nasarawa State had dragged the state Government to the National Industrial Court for non payment of their gratuity.
Ruling on the matter on the 28 of July 2023, the Presiding Judge Justice Isaac Essien ordered three commercial banks who were parties involved in the garnishee proceeding to disburse over one point one billion Naira belonging to Nasarawa State Government to the retirees as their gratuity without further delay.
However, since the judgment, the banks failed to obey which left the court with no other option than to carry out enforcement against them which led to two out of the three banks complying by paying over four hundred million Naira into the bank account of counsel for the pensions for disbursement as directed by the court.
Following failure by the third bank to comply with the court order, the Pensioners through their counsel upon leave by the court with the assistance of law agencies stormed the bank to recover over six hundred million Naira.
When Radio Nigeria visited the banks which is located along Otukpo Road, Makurdi in Benue State, it was observed that customers who came to carry out transactions were not allowed entry by security agencies as the bank was shut.
Items belonging to the bank including vehicles, Mikano generating sets, Air Conditioners and furniture were confiscated and deposited at the premises of the court.
In an interview, Chairman Patriotic Local Government Pensioners Forum Nasarawa State Mr. Emmanuel Amirkpa said the action of the court had given them a lot of hope.
” We have passed through a lot of hard times due to non payment of our gratuity. We do not deserve this kind of harsh treatment having served our state for 35 years only to be subjected to difficulties. We only asked for the payment of our entitlements yet we were not given.
We had to resort to court action having exhausted all avenues for the Nasarawa State Government to pay us but to no avail. Many of our members are incapacitated, no money to buy drugs . Some have died out of frustration. We thank the court for coming to our rescue,” he said.
Nasarawa State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Mr. Labaran Magaji explained that since his appointment a few months ago, he had engaged the Pensioners in a series of meetings for the amicable resolution of the issue.
Mr Labaran Magaji added that Governor Abdullahi Sule who had been adequately briefed about the true position of the matter was passionate about improving the welfare of retirees in the state.