Over N23 billion Suit: Court fixes October 25 for ruling on 235 workers’ engagement

 The National Industrial Court of Nigeria in the Awka Judicial Division Holden at Awka, Anambra State, has fixed October 25, 2016 to give ruling on whether 235 workers unceremoniously laid off without sack letters, no redundancy letters and non indebtedness letters were engaged by oil and gas major, Chevron Nigeria Limited or four of the company’s contracting firms: JOCECO Nigeria Limited, Pat Onosen Nigeria Enterprises Limited, Sanco Calaya JV. Nigeria Limited and Hensteel Engr. & Construction Services Limited.

The presiding Judge, W. Abali made the pronouncement Tuesday June 28 after listening to arguments from Counsel to Chevron, A. Akpomudje Albert, SAN and Counsel to the 235 aggrieved workers, Chief (Barr.) V.E. Otomiewo.

Akpomudje A. Albert, SAN at the Court premises

While the Chevron Counsel, Akpomudje Albert argued that the claimants’ case against Chevron was weak, because working in Chevron yard does not make them (235 workers) Chevron staff, Barr. Otomiewo posited that the argument of Chevron was lacking in merit, noting that correspondences/agreements authenticating the workers’ engagements between the 1^st to 4^th defendants (the contracting firms) are with Chevron.

Barr. Otomiewo cited NICM/CM/760/2014, a case between Prof. Greg Nwakobi Vs Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka as reference, urging the Judge to consider that judgment which was granted May 19, 2016 in giving his ruling, saying the test case was yet to be set aside.

The Claimants’ Counsel contended that the entitlements of the 235 workers are in Chevron’s possession and urged the Presiding Judge to grant an Order, asking Chevron to release their financial entitlements totaling N23.5 billion, comprising of N 100 million for each of the 235 disengaged workers.

It would be recalled that the aggrieved workers who claimed Chevron recruited them and sublet them to the contractors to pay them, had approached the Court in suit No: NICN/ AWKA/39/2015 seeking N100 million each as compensation/damages over perceived breach of contract.

The suit was filed by nine of the workers, including: Mr. Patrick Gbetah, Mr. Edward Usino, Mr. Frank Panama and Benedict Atiyota, on behalf of themselves and their colleagues.

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