Workers drag NITDA to court over employment status

The 245 workers employed in 2015 by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), have dragged their employer to court over their employment status.

The workers instituted a suit at the National Industrial Court, Abuja, over a publication by the agency in 2016 cancelling their employment.

They are claiming N500 million damages for the malicious publication, psychological damage and sufferings inflicted on them since 2015.

Counsel to the claimants, Mr Wilfred Akenuwa, told the court his clients were duly employed, offered letters of employment and documented according to Civil Service Rules in 2015.

He said that they waited for their postings since 2015, only to be stalled by an advertisement by the agency in 2016, claiming that their employment was cancelled.

Akenuwa sought the order of the court to declare the said publication cancelling the claimants’ recruitment as “unknown to the law, illegal, null and void and of no effect.’’

He also prayed the court to declare that all the claimants recruited are entitled to all rights, privileges, emoluments and salaries pertaining to staff conditions of service of the defendant.

The counsel urged the court to direct the defendants to pay all salaries and entitlements accruing from the claimants’ employment from November 2015.

NITDA’s counsel, Mr Ibrahim Attahir, told the court that they were influenced by their supervisory ministry to put the recruitment process on hold.

The judge, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, urged the two counsel to reconcile the matter.

Adejumo also advised some of the claimants, who were over 50 in court, to exercise caution and not resort to violence while pursuing their rights.

He urged both counsels to regularise all their processes, promising to expedite action on the matter.

He adjourned the case till March 21, 22 and 23.