Court fixes date for judgment on N46m owed five Nasarawa Utd coaches

A Jos Industrial Court on Thursday fixed February 22 for judgment in a suit by five former coaches of Nasawara United FC, asking it to compel their former employer to pay their outstanding salaries.
The coaches, who were laid off in 2015, are alleging that the Nasarawa State Government owed them a total of N46.35 million, before they were sacked.
Also joined in the suit, which is before Justice Kenneth Amadi, is the Nasarawa State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice.
The coaches included: Evans Ogenyi, Sylvester Ekoja, Michael Jatau, Bala Nikyu and El Shammah Inusa who served as Technical Adviser, Assistant Coach, Chief Coach, Goal Keeper Trainer and Chief trainer, respectively.
When the case came up for hearing on Thursday, Paul Hammache, counsel to the coaches, told the court that the club sacked his clients and allegedly failed to pay their entitlements totaling N46.35 million.
He said that his clients’ claims accrued from unpaid salaries, allowances and signing fees, adding that the claims were scrutinized and awarded to the coaches on September 10, 2015, by the Nigeria Football Federation Players’ Status and Arbitration Committee, Abuja.
Hammache said: “My Lord, we have come before you by way of originating summons for this claim because for over two years, the club and the Nassarawa State Government refused to pay my clients.
“We are begging this court to see reason with my clients on this issue.”
Responding, Counsel to the defendants, Ishaku Usman, who is also the Solicitor-General of Nassarawa State, asked the court to dismiss the application on the ground that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Usman said: “My Lord, even the NFF arbitration award, which they got, is being contested because our protest has not been heard by the arbitration panel.
“In the circumstance, we hereby urge that the application before the court be dismissed especially since the Nassarawa Federal High Court had earlier dismissed it for lack of jurisdiction.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that after listening to Usman, the judge asked him to suggest the court the complainants ought to go to seek redress and Usman suggested the FIFA arbitration panel.
Justice Amadi later adjourned the matter to February 22 for judgment.