Lawyers drag Rivers government to court over disparity in salaries

Fourteen lawyers in the employ of the Rivers State Government have approached the National Industrial Court in Port Harcourt, asking for an order compelling the state to accord them same salary commensurate with other lawyers employed in same salary grade in other states.

Case was filed as Suit No: NICN/148/2020 between Fortune Ereforokuma & 12 Others Vs Chief Azubuike Nmerukini & 2 Others before Hon Justice Paulicap Hamman the National Industrial Court 4, Port Harcourt. Counsel to the aggrieved lawyers, O.C. Higher King at the hearing of the matter yesterday, asked the court to enter judgement in their favour and disqualify Attorney General of Rivers, Prof Zaccheus Adango, from representing self and other parties.

Prof Adango had objected to Higher King’s motion to the court, calling for dismissal of the suit with substantial cost against the complainants who he argued were employed as law officers and not as legal officers as made to appear in the suit. Justice Pailicap Hamman, after hearing the arguments from both parties, adjourned the matter to 16 March for ruling on the motion.

Higher King said disparity in salary structures amounted to injustice to the lawyers, but Rivers Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adango insisted the said lawyers were law officers and not legal officers in the employ of the state government. Vanguard