Key Highlights
- Justice Essien of the National Industrial Court, Makurdi Division ordered the Benue state government to pay a retiree N6.9 million
- The court gave the order after the retiree approached the court following the failure of the state government to pay her entitlements
- The court ordered the state government to pay her the N6.9 million install mentally starting from the end of March.
The Makurdi Division of the National Industrial Court has ordered the Benue state government to pay Mrs. Paulina Enejo, a retiree, the sum of N6.9 million as pension arrears and gratuity.
Justice Isaaac Essien gave the order on Thursday while delivering judgment in the suit brought before the court by Mrs. Enejo.
The court ordered that the money be paid to her install mentally with payment of N1m by the end of March and subsequent payment of N500,000 monthly beginning from April 2023 until the liquidation of the judgment sum.
Backstory
Mrs. Enejo who is the Claimant in the suit told the court that she was employed by the Benue state government.
According to her, she had risen through the rank to become a Deputy Director before her retirement in 2013.
She averred that she retired as a Deputy Director of Education and was entitled to the sum of N5,515,063.00 as gratuity and N1,457,510,00. Pension arrears.
She averred that all efforts to get her entitlements were to no avail, Hence, she approached the court.
She prayed the court to order the state government to pay her N6.9 million and another N20 million as general damages for the sufferings, untold hardship, pains, and psychological trauma the defendants have caused her.
During the trial, The Benue state government did not dispute the claims by Mrs. Enejo nor did they enter defense in the case.
Court Judgement
Delivering judgment in the suit, Justice Essien ordered the Benue state government to pay Mrs. Enejo the sum of N6.972, 573.00 being her pension arrears and gratuity.
The judge held that she is entitled to be paid her gratuity as computed by the Benue State Government.
However, the judge dismissed her claim on the N20 million general damages on the grounds that she failed to give evidence of the hardship she allegedly suffered.
The N6.9 million ordered by the court is to be paid to her install mentally with the first payment of N1 million at the end of March.
