An industrial court has ordered three commercial banks where Nasarawa State government accounts are domiciled to immediately disburse over N1 billion to 170 pensioners as their gratuities.
Justice Isaac Essien gave the order while ruling on a creditors’ judgement case brought before the court against the Nasarawa State government by a group of retirees in Makurdi, Benue State.
The court also awarded N4 million cost against the state government.
A group of retirees under the aegis of Patriotic Local Government Pensioners Union had approached the court seeking enforcement of a creditors’ judgement case for the payment of their retirement benefits.
Before ruling on the matter, Justice Essien dismissed two motions filed by the state government.
He averred that the three commercial banks which were joined in the suit did not prove to the court why the garnishee order should not be enforced, hence the order to pay the amount into the account of counsel to the retirees for disbursement to them.
He explained that the Nasarawa State government violated the constitutional rights of the retirees over its failure to pay their entitlements.
Counsel to the pensioners, Barrister Sunday Okpale, told journalists after the ruling that justice had finally prevailed for his clients.
“Today I have been vindicated by this judgement. I have suffered persecution from the Nasarawa State government for standing for these senior citizens to pursue their entitlements,” he stated.
Also speaking, counsel to Nasarawa State government, Barrister Egye Aliyu, said his client would take further action on the judgement in due course.
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