One hundred and seventy five Kogi State Government workers have dragged Governor Idris Wada and the state government to the National Industrial Court, Abuja for alleged non-payment of their salaries.
The claimants, who worked in different ministries and parastatals in the state, claimed that their salaries and emoluments had not been paid since May, 2009.
Joined in the suit are the governor, the attorney-general and the state government as defendants.
The workers told the court that they were employed by the state at different times into different ministries and parastatals until May 2009 when the defendants carried out a screening exercise.
The claimants alleged that the defendants had neither dismissed them nor pay them their salaries since then.
They informed the court that the 175 persons represented the thousands of workers who were affected by the said exercise.
The workers are praying the court to declare that the non-payment of their salaries and emoluments was a breach of their fundamental rights, illegal, null and void.
They are also asking the court to order the defendants to pay their salary arrears from May 2009 to date and award N100 million as damages in their favour.
When the matter came up for mention on Tuesday, the claimant’s Counsel, Shaibu Aruwa, told the court that all processes had been filed and served.
Aruwa urged the court to grant all the prayers of the claimants, saying that the court would be doing justice enforcing the fundamental rights of the claimants.
He prayed the court to adjourn the case to enable him respond to the application of the defendants.
The Counsel to the defendants, Peter Abalaka, informed the court that he had filed a motion seeking for extension of time to enable him enter appearance.
According to Abalaka, he has also filed another motion to challenge the competency of the suit.
In her ruling, the Presiding Judge, Justice Oluseun Shogbo, adjourned the case to July 8 for adoption.
Workers sue Kogi over non-payment of salaries
