A group under the aegis of the Civil Society Coalition for Transparency, Accountability and Good Governance (COTAGG) on Tuesday handed out a 14-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to pay Mr. Emmanuel Kantiok his entitlements after he was allegedly wrongfully sacked.

Kantiok was allegedly sacked as a staff of Pipeline and Products Marketing Company Limited (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, in 1994.

The rights group, which promised mass action in the event that Kantiok issue was not settled, handed the warning following a petition written to body by the victim.

Kantiok, who has a staff Identity No. 13594 had, in a petition to the rights group, complained of wrongful termination of his appointment.

Consequently, COTAGG gave NNPC/PPMC an ultimatum to pay Kantiok his terminal benefits.

In a statement signed by the group’s Coordinator, Mr. Michael Opia and Staff Attorney, Charles Nweke, it stated that Kantiok had worked for NNPC/PPMC for seven years before his appointment was purportedly terminated.

The statement reads: “All efforts Kantiok had made for the organisation to revisit his dismissal hit the brick.

“Our client was cleared from any wrong doings and resumed duties before his appointment was terminated.

“Consequent upon his termination as aforesaid, he, along with others, wrote a letter dated 25/7/94 demanding a reconsideration of their termination but there was no reply.

“In accordance with the relevant conditions of service, their client was entitled to be paid terminal benefits including gratuity, pension and any contribution he made to the provident fund scheme while in service, but has been denied all till date.

“Kantiok had joined NNPC from the Industries Corporation of Nigeria, where he had worked for 17 years before transferring his service for NNPC/PPMC from October 6, 1987.

“Kantiok, as at the time of his termination, had served PPMC for seven years, during which period he was nominated in 1997 for NNPC long service award, which he was duly given and received the benefit attached.”

CONTAGG, while maintaining that their client’s name appeared in NNPC staff list for long service award of 1997, when his appointment had already been terminated, queried Kantiok’s sack which they said was shrouded in unexplained phenomenon.

Furthermore CONTAGG said: “In accordance with Section 15.2(c) of the condition of service, the proper thing to do if our client’s service was no longer required is to retire him and not termination.”

“Given the fact that we have written all concern authorities in our letters dated March 31, 2017 of which we did not receive any reply. We have given the concern authorities 14 days with effect from this publication to invite our client for settlement via us.”

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