From Yakubu Busari, Jos
Staff of Plateau State tertiary institutions have filled an originating summon seeking order of the court to stop the conduct of the screening and interviewing of fresh applicants to replace them pending the determination of the suit. They argue that government action was illegally done to terminate their appointments.
Their separate suits before Hon Justice I.S .Galadima of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN, are Nguerep Banging Bitrus & 36 ors challenging Governor of Plateau & 2 ors; NICN/Jos /6/2024 for motion 2. NICN /JOS/7/2024 ,Bulus Gorge Lambert &55 ors ,3 NICN /JOS/8/2024, Dake Emmanuel Chendu &99 ors ,4NICN/JOS/2024 ,Wulkwap Hoomen Danjuma ,5 NICN /JOS/10/2024, respectively.
The Claimant/Applicants ,Barr Nantok Dashuwar told the court that the respondents was not served with the originating summon and motion on notice which was dated 9th April, 2024.
He said they also have application filed on 21st March,2024, the originating summon dated 13th Day of March,2024 and Motion on notice 21st Day of March, 2024, all of which were yet to be serve on Tertiary institutions as the 3rd respondents .
According to him, he filled an interlocutory injunction to prevent the defendants as they are seeking the order of the court to restrain the respondents from embarking on the current employment exercise to replace those suspended .
Dashuwar said he filed a suit on behalf of the employees of the Tertiary institutions whom he said they were employed sometimes in 2002 upon assessment they now instituted the present suit challenging Governor Caleb Mutfwang and Plateau State Government and the respective institutions that their appointment was terminated without the due process of law
However, based on the termination of their appointments, they have approached court to challenged the exercise by so doing they’re contesting the power of governor tob terminate the employment of the staff of Tertiary institutions and under which authority he did that .
“The matter was adjourned to the 2nd Day of May ,2024 for hearing because we apply an injunction restraining the various institutions and to restrain them from proceeding with the screening and interviewing fresh graduates to replace his clients, “he said.
Dashuwar further stated ,” These people are currently employed so we are asking government not proceed to conduct interview for recruitment when we have pending case in court that is basically their applications because we couldn’t let the institutions but stop the exercise because they court already adjourned to 2nd May .
” The various institutions in Plateau State include, College of Education Gindiri , Plateau State Polytechnic , College of art Science and Technology Agriculture Garkawa , College of Health Pankshin , College of Health Zawan ,.
” What they have come here in court to do is to challenge the power of government to terminate their employment .
” We are asking the court to interpret laws that established the institutions and instrument used in employing vis a vis the use in terminating their employment so the court will look at this reasons by virtues of press releases landing sacking and dismissing them .
” Our originating summon was to stop and prevent the governor and his agents from going ahead with the decision of employing those that are to replace them so we ask court to set aside that is why we are in court,”Dashuwar stated.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Jos on Monday adjourned application by tertiary institutions to serve its earlier suit instituted against the government
Meanwhile, the tertiary institutions through their counsel, Nantok Dashuwar, on Monday told the the court that his clients are seeking to bring into focus the Law establishing institutions as enacted by the Plateau State House of Assembly, while the originating summons seeking to stop the replacement of old staff pending.
Dashuwar explained further that he sought by his client was principally about interpretation of some provisions of the Act that established the institutions vis-a-vis .
