Court orders Bayelsa govt: Reinstate 800 sacked tertiary institutions workers

A National  Industrial Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has ordered the immediate reinstatement of employees under the Niger Delta University, NDU, Amassoma and Isaac Jasper College of Education, Sagbama, who were dismissed from service in 2018.

The sacked workers, who were relieved of their duties were alleged to be redundant and declared as over-aged by the Seriake Dickson administration, which they claimed that they were retired from service by the management of the institution in accordance with the civil service rule not sacked as being rumoured.

But the National Industrial Court, presided over by Justice Attahiru Alkli, held that the termination was null and void, baseless and not carried out through due processes, thus, the employees be reinstated with their full benefits duly paid.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, Boma Miebai and Emmanuel Essien, while expressing satisfaction with the judgement, said justice had been served and promised to ensure that the ruling is implemented.

On their parts, leaders of the disengaged staff from NDU and COE, Isiki Ebidoki and Lawrence Kokobaikeme, who expressed joy that judgement was given in their favour, following what they described as a baseless dismissal, called on the state government to honour the ruling of the court.

Some of the disengaged staff, Pauline Blessing and Tom Friday, lamented that the dismissal caused them pain and depression, as a lot of them lost their lives when they could no longer afford to cater for their families, but prayed the state government to swiftly implement the court ruling. Vanguard