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Defunct TPCL Staff Drag Taraba Govt To Court Over 77 Months Unpaid Wages

Published

2 years ago

August 10, 2021

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The Taraba state government has been dragged to the National Industrial Court over its failure to pay 77 months salary arrears of non indigenous staff of the defunct Taraba Publishing Company Limited, amounting to N73,257,715.40k.

In their statement of claim, the workers who are non-indigenes alleged that they were denied salaries since the company stopped operation in 2014 and that they were discriminated upon on the basis of their States of origin.

The suit is between the staff who serve as claimants and The Executive Governor of Taraba State (1st defendant), Taraba State government (2nd defendant), The Attorney-General of Taraba State (3rd defendant), the Taraba State Commissioner of Information (4th defendant) and the Taraba Publishing Company Limited (5th defendant).

According to a witness statement of the first claimant, Hosea O. Yunana: “that I am an employee of Taraba Publishing Company Limited, the 5th defendant employed via a letter dated 13/3/2012 as …confirmed on the 31/1/2014.

“That the 5th defendant, as my employer, is a company wholly owned and controlled by the Taraba State government, the 2nd defendant, and the 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants are officers of the 2nd defendant directly in control of the 5th defendant.

“That the defendants unlawfully withheld my salaries and that of my colleagues who are co-claimants with me in this suit, for 77 months from September 2014 to this very day while I still remained in the service of the 5th defendant.

“That the defendants discriminated against me and my colleagues/co-claimants in this suit on the basis of our States of origin in refusing to redeploy us in its service and this contravened our right to Freedom from Discrimination as protected by Section 42 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“That all efforts made by us to get the defendants to look into our plight proved abortive and futile.

“That we wrote a complaint to the Public Complaints Commission who in turn wrote to the 5th defendant on the matter and the 5th defendant, through its Managing Consultant/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), responded via a letter to the Commission dated the 23/5/2018 confirming our story and who also attached a list containing our names, dates of employment and salaries, among other information.

“That in the above letter, the Managing Consultant/CEO has confirmed that he has intimate the 1st defendant, the Executive Governor of Taraba State, on our issues and complaint and the governor initiate some steps to address them but it ends there.

“That, through our solicitor, M.Y. Saleh, SAN, we wrote various letters of demand dated 26 January, 2021 and addressed variously to the Executive Governor of Taraba State, the Secretary to the Taraba State government, the Attorney-General and Honourable Commissioner of Justice of Taraba State, the Honourable Commissioner of Information and Reorientation of Taraba State, and the Managing Consultant and Chief Executive Officer of Taraba Publishing Company Limited respectively.”

According to the statement by solicitor to the aggrieved staff, M.Y Saleh, SAN, put forward the following claims.

“That the refusal of the defendants to pay the salaries and entitlements of the claimants is unlawful.

“The sum of N951,398.90k as their collective salaries for each month starting from February 2021 until judgement is given by this Honourable court.

“The unpaid salaries of the claimants for the 77 months they remained in the service of the defendants without disengagement which is as follows:
a. The sum of N29,881,416.15k, being unpaid salaries for the period September 2014- March 2017 before the Taraba State government absorbed the indigenes of Taraba state.

b.The sum of N43,376,299.25k, being unpaid salaries for the period April 2017-January 2021 after the absorption of indigenes of Taraba State till date when the suit was instituted.

“The total of which amounts to N73,257,715.40k as claimants’ entitlements from the defendants.

“Damages in the sum of N30,000,000.00 for the mental torture, trauma and hardship the claimants have undergone waiting for their salaries to be paid and their plights to be addressed”.

Meanwhile, the Taraba Publishing Company Limited is publisher of the now rested Nigeria Sunrise Newspaper, established by the Late Danbaba Suntai administration in 2010. It stopped operation shortly after the fatal accident of the then governor on 2014.

Our correspondent, however, learnt that in 2017, 46 Taraba indigenes of the defunct company were absorbed into the State civil service, leaving out staffs who are non-indigenes, a situation that has generated public condemnation and dissatisfaction by the affected staff.

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Adamawa: CDD Joins Awareness Campaign Against Gender-based Violence

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3 days ago

November 29, 2023

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As part of activities commemorating 2023 16 days activism, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has sensitized Adamawa people on Violence Against Women and Girls VAWG.

The sensitization exercise begins with road walk from Bekaji roundabout to Jimeta modern market, Yola-North Local Government Area on Wednesday.

Mrs Amina Auwal, the team lead who spoke on this year’s theme: Unite, “invest to prevent violence against women and girls” described the commitment of stakeholders as the symbol of unity against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the state.

She urged stakeholders to unite and reduce the rate of GBV in the state.

“This VAWG is like a cancer, it is eating up the community gradually but when it has been cut off completely we will have society free of GBV.

“We appreciated the CDD for sponsoring the programme of being able to sensitize the public to bring to an end the menace of VAWG”, she said.

Mrs Rose Zinas, Desk officer GBV, National Orientation Agency (NOA) urged parents, guardians and stakeholders to take advantage of the theme of the year and to invest on women and girls-child.

She said these would help them to have something doing to reduce over dependent on husband’s and parents as well as end violence against them.

Zinas called on the women to also be proactive in looking for something doing and not to be a liability.

In her remarks, Lubna Dodo, representing Federation of Women Lawyers Association, FIDA appreciated the contribution of CDD in the fight against GBV in the state.

She explained that the mission of the road walk is to create awareness on the theme of this year activism.

“This means invest by educating the girls-child and empower them with the knowledge and skills to succeed in future.

“These will go along way by reducing their vulnerability to violence anywhere they find themselves “, she said.

Dodo further said that the passage of Violence Against Person Prohibition (VAPP) law and Child Protection law as well as ongoing sensitization for implementation have also help in reducing the rate of GBV in the state . News Hunter.

Government

Adamawa Govt Approves 42km NYSC Camp – Borong Road Project

Published

3 days ago

November 29, 2023

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By Muhammad B. Muhammad

The Adamawa State Executive Council Wednesday approved reconstruction of 42km road stretching from National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Damare to Borong community.

The feeder road project which covers the 2 LGAs of Girei and Demsa will cost over N836m.

The State Commissioner of Education, Dr Umar Garba Pella disclosed this while briefing newsmen shortly after the council meeting that held in the Government House, Yola.

Dr Pella said the project was awarded to Hydro Source and Resource Nigeria Limited and has the completion of period of 12 Months.

The Commissioner further disclosed that the council has approved over N117m variation for the construction of modern laboratory at Specialist Hospital, Yola.

Pella explained that the project was initially awarded at over N578m adding that the variation was to cover the cost of increased price of building materials.

The Wednesday’s 8th 2023 Council Meeting was presided over by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.

COV. MBM

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Bauchi SEC Approves Construction of 2 Flyovers , 200KM Roads

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1 week ago

November 23, 2023

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Bauchi State Government has unveiled a plan for the construction of sixteen strategic roads worth about one hundred billion naira across the state.

The project also comprises two flyovers at the busiest areas of Wunti and Central Market to beautify and decongest the city centre.

These among some other rural roads construction project across the state’s three senatorial zones were part of the resolutions made during State Executive Council Meeting presided over by Governor Bala Mohammed.

Some of the project that make a total of two hundred kilometers include two point six kilometers Sabon Kaura Birshi Gandu road, four point five kilometers Zango-Gwallagan Mayaka access road, one point seven kilometers Bayara township road, rehabilitation of Disina-Adamami road in Jama’are local government area and Dualization of A.D Rufa’i College to Misau town road among others.

Briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting, the commissioners of Works and Transport Ibrahim Galadima and his counterpart of Special Duties and Rural Development Faruq Mustapha said the projects have been awarded to confitent contractors in line with developmental initiative of Governor Bala Mohammed led administration.

Also during the meeting, the Council has ratified and approved for upgrading of four palaces of Emirs of Bauchi, Ningi, Jama’are and Dass at sum of two point two Billion naira under the State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

The commissioner of the ministry Ahmed Sarki Jalam said the move was to creat a conducive environment for the traditional institutions to discharge their duties.

The council has also approved a memo for the 2024 Medium Term Expenditure presented by the commissioner ministry of Budget and Economic Planning Aminu Hammayo as well as a memo presented by the commissioner of Commerce, Trade and Investment Mahmud Baba Ma’aji on the preparation for the forthcoming Northeast Joint Trade Fair in Bauchi State.