. . . As survivors protest non-payment of N2.1bn entitlements

By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

Workers and pensioners of New Nigerian Newspapers on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, trooped out to protests non-payment of their benefits amounting to over N2.1 billion even after Northern Governors directives in 2016.

They said 102 members of staff have died while waiting for these benefits, with some bedridden, some chased out of their rented apartments, whereas a good number of them can’t feed properly.

This is contained in an address jointly signed by Amos Matthew Chairman Press Committee and the Treasurer Nigerian Union of Journalists Kaduna State Council and NNN Secretary Press Committee Comrade Nicholas Dekera and presented during the protest in Kaduna.

The workers gave the management and the committee 14 days ultimatum to pay workers all benefits or face more protests from workers.

“It may also interest you to know that 102 of members have died while waiting for these benefits, with some bedridden, some chase out of their rented apart whereas a good number of us can’t feed properly”, Denkera, who read the address on behalf of the workers stated.

He said more than 90% of the newspaper company properties have been sold and over N2.7bllion realized (with some of these properties fully acquired and renovation works commenced a very good example is the Popular Nagwamatse house in the hearts of Kaduna city) but allegedly kept inside the same account management and Committee claimed have been garnished.

The address in full:

“Fellow colleagues in the Fourth Estate of the Realm, it is with heavy hearts of prolonged sorrow that we address you today.

“Our plight began after Federal Government handed over the New Nigerian Newspapers to Northern Governors with backlog of Pension and salary arrears.

“However, Northern Governors Headed by the then Chairman who is now Nigeria’s Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima at a Northern Governor’s Forum on Friday, 29^th. April 2016 at General Hassan Usman Katsina House, Kawo-Kaduna approved as follows:

1)Public private partnership and splitting the company into three (3) which include Newspaper production, printing and publishing in commercial quantities and commercial properties.

2)Total liquidation of the company and all its landed properties across the country to settle its liabilities once and for all.

Northern Governors 5-man Committee

Pursuant to the aforementioned, a committee was Set up with it membership drawn from Northern Capital Properties Limited (NCPL), New Nigerian Newspaper management, EFCC and Office of the Kaduna SSG which commenced sale of NNN properties immediately.

In order to fast track the process for payment of workers benefits, the former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai facilitated the payment and liquidation of all outstanding pensions and gratuities of all Federal Government Workers under New Nigeria Newspapers by Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) in December 2021. One would have expected that the burden would become less but a litany of agony ensued.

Surprisingly NNN management and the committee that turned deaf ears to Northern Governors directives to pay workers went ahead to expressly spend about 200 million Naira on contractors and other unknown expenditures out of the money realised without paying a penny to Workers.

Court Garnishee Saga

Before the Northern Governors directives for sales of New Nigerian Newspapers properties for settlement of workers entitlements there was a court matter instituted by pensioners at the Federal High Court specifically in Court 2, suit No FHC/KD/CS/137

Fast forward to early 2023 after PTAD verified and begun payment of monthly Pension, the duo of Barrister Iweka and Idi Sule returned to court over an initial out of court settlement item – check-off dues.

The Federal High Court in May 2022 garnished the GT Bank account number 0605091406 with account name “New Capital Properties Ltd” where all monies realized for sales of properties was lodged into. The garnishee was vacated, but again the management and the committee failed to pay workers benefits even with express orders from former Kaduna SSG to present documents for onward approval and payments.

On July 14, 2022, a second garnishee was served on the same account however, the Claimant counsel before the honourable judge confirmed that there was only N20 million in the garnished account whereas the total lodgement as at that time was over N700 million naira. Questions on what happened to the balance, who withdrew the money and for what purpose was the money withdrawn for were never answered by the committee and the NNN management.

At a moment the case has been abandoned as neither the Claimant or defendants have approached the Federal High Court (FHC) 2 Justice for a new date after seven months adjournment.

Gentlemen of the Press, it may also interest you to know that 102 of members have died while waiting for these benefits, with some bedridden, some chase out of their rented apart whereas a good number of us can’t feed properly.

In October 2022 the former SSG of Kaduna Balarabe Abbas Lawal now Minister for Environment approved 3month in-lieu of notice payment for all in house staff who were laid off as at that time this again was abandoned, and no single penny paid.

Gentlemen of the Press, as at today, more than 90% of the properties have been sold and over 2.7 billion naira realized (with some of these properties fully acquired and renovation works commenced a very good example is the Popular Nagwamatse house in the hearts of Kaduna city) but allegedly kept inside the same account management and Committee claimed have been garnished.

Prayers

1.The Northern Governors’ Forum should compel management of New Nigeria Newspapers headed by Mr. Yusuf Musa Kontagora to immediately pay all NNN workers all entitlements without any further delays.

2.That the Management of New Nigerian Newspapers and the committee have 14 days ultimatum to pay workers all benefits or face more protests from workers.

•PHOTO: Cross section of the protesting New Nigerian Newspapers (NNN) workers carry placards with different inscriptions during the protest over non-payment of entitlement inside the premises of the NNN.