Nineteen workers of the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (ICCON) wrongly disengaged from service nearly 12 years ago have vowed to daily resume at the institute?s offices both in Abuja and Lagos, until they are reinstated in line with a court judgment.

The affected staff were unlawfully and illegally disengaged from office in 2013, following which they instituted a legal action against the Federal Ministry of Health, Minister of Health, ICCON and Prof Felix Okiemen as first to fourth respondents in the suit marked: NICN/LA/01/2014.

After 10 years of litigation, the trial judge, Justice I. G. Nweneka, found that the claimants were illegally and unlawfully disengaged by ICCON in 2013, and accordingly ordered their reinstatement, as well as the payment of all their entitlements from the day they were sacked till the date of reinstatement.

Besides, the court awarded the cost of N1 million in favour of the 19 claimants.

Justice Nweneka, in the judgment delivered on May 21, 2024, held that: ?Judgment shall be implemented within 30 days from today.?

However, eight months after, the Institute and registrar, who were both third and fourth respondents in the suit, are yet to comply with the order of the court.

Neither have they also appealed the judgment, a situation which compelled the claimants to besiege the ICCON?s headquarters in Abuja, for three consecutive days.

Specifically, they had asked the Registrar, Wilford Jwalshik, to comply with the order of court by assigning offices to them and include them in the payroll for January 2025 salary and beyond, amongst other demands.

On Tuesday, some of the disengaged staff in Lagos also attempted to resume duty in line with the court order reinstating them to work.

The claimants, led by Julie Amawhe, got to the Lagos office at about 9am with the intention of resuming work.

When they got there, they met two members of staff ? Agboro and Patricia ? and they proceeded to sign the staff duty resumption register, while waiting for the Admin and HR to come.

When the Admin officer, Mrs. Taiwo, finally came in, the claimants went into her office to inform her that they have resumed in line with the order of court.

Responding, the admin officer informed them of a meeting with the registrar on Tuesday wherein the matter of the claimants will be discussed.

She further said that the registrar was waiting for the outcome of the meeting with lawyers to get directives on the issue, adding that decisions arrived at would be communicated to their lawyer.

But the claimants, who were adamant, insisted on coming to the office daily, adding that it should be on record that they have resumed as directed by the court.

In a letter to the registrar dated January 23, 2025, the disengaged staff informed the registrar of their decision to resume work in line with the court?s judgment, adding that they will continue to do so until they are reinstated.

?As earlier stated in our last communication since Monday 20th, January, 2025, we have resumed as instructed by the court but it is obvious that the institute is not ready to obey the ruling of the court.

?Hence, we have decided to continue coming to the office here in Abuja and Lagos respectively until the ruling as instructed by the court is fully implemented,? the letter said.

Those who had signed the letter on behalf of the disengaged staff included Peter Aphunu, Moses Ominyi, Victor Nangil, Amawhe Julie and Onyinye Odiyinle.

Specifically, they demanded that the institute honour all the 10 orders especially order 7 compelling the third and fourth defendants to reinstate the claimants who were unlawfully disengaged from service of the institute in 2013.

?We should be shown our offices and assigned to duties accordingly and be included in the payroll for January 2025 salary and beyond.

?We want to know what has been done concerning order 8 compelling the 3rd and 4th defendants and their privies to pay to the claimants their full entitlement and remuneration from the date of purported disengagement from service to date.

?The Institute should pay the cost of litigation as stipulated in the ruling which is 1 million maira in favour of the claimants,? they said.

?We have been through hell and back,? said one of the affected employees, who wished to remain anonymous. ?We have lost a colleague, our homes, our livelihood, and our dignity. But we have never lost hope. We are grateful for the court?s ruling, and we plead with the Institute to obey the law and reinstate us immediately.?

Meanwhile, the registrar, during a meeting with the affected staff last week, was reported to have claimed that ICCON has not formally received the full extent of the interpretation of the court judgment and so he cannot give a satisfactory response to all the demands raised.

He was also reported to have said that they are waiting for the Ministry of Health?s lawyer to interpret the judgment and for the Minister of Health to give the go ahead to invite them over to resume duties. (THISDAY)

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