33 Former CBN Employees Search N30bn Compensation for Wrongful Termination
A gaggle of former Central Financial institution of Nigeria workers, who have been let go in a large-scale restructuring effort final yr, have filed a lawsuit towards the apex financial institution on the Nationwide Industrial Court docket of Nigeria in Abuja, searching for justice and compensation for his or her alleged unfair dismissal.
In an originating summons filed on July 4, 2024, beneath the NICN Civil Process Guidelines 2017 and obtained by our correspondent on Monday, the claimants, 33 in quantity, raised a number of points for the court docket to handle.
Amongst different issues, the previous workers requested the court docket to find out whether or not their constitutional proper to a good listening to was violated earlier than and after their appointments have been terminated.
Additionally they alleged that the CBN breached inner insurance policies, Nigerian labour legal guidelines, and their contractual rights.
The claimants embody Stephen Gana, Kabiru Idris, Benedict Agbo, Peter Adeyemi, John Yisa, Eleanor Ihua, and others. Represented by Okwudili Abanum in a category motion lawsuit, they argued that the termination course of, carried out by way of letters titled “Reorganisational and Human Capital Restructuring” dated April 5, 2024, contravened the CBN’s human sources insurance policies and procedures guide in addition to Part 36 of the 1999 Structure.
The claimants additional asserted that the termination course of lacked the obligatory session and truthful listening to required by regulation.
They described the termination letters, issued beneath the guise of restructuring, as arbitrary, unlawful, and unconstitutional.
On these grounds, the previous employees members sought an order declaring their dismissal null and void.
Additionally they requested a restraining order to forestall the CBN from terminating their employment with out adhering to correct procedures.
Moreover, the claimants demanded a right away reinstatement of their positions, with fee of salaries and advantages from the date of termination.
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They cited Article 16.4.1 of the Human Assets Insurance policies and Procedures Guide (HRPPM), which mandates session with the Joint Consultative Council and adherence to truthful procedures earlier than taking employment actions that adversely have an effect on employees.
Based on the claimants, the CBN flagrantly disregarded this provision, giving them solely three days to vacate their positions and hand over official property.
The group can be searching for N30bn on the whole damages for psychological misery, hardship, and reputational hurt attributable to the dismissal, in addition to an extra N500m to cowl the price of the swimsuit.
Through the first point out of the case on November 20, 2024, the presiding choose, Justice O. A. Osaghae, urged each events to pursue an amicable decision.
“This can be a new matter, talked about for the primary time. I’ve reviewed the processes and imagine that the events ought to try an amicable decision of this dispute. Consequently, events are inspired, pursuant to Part 20 of the NICA 2006, to hunt amicable settlement,” Justice Osaghae stated.
The CBN, represented by a authorized staff led by Inam Wilson (SAN), knowledgeable the court docket of a preliminary objection to the claimants’ swimsuit filed on November 4, 2024.
The CBN’s counsel additionally famous that they’d lately been served with the claimants’ response to the objection.
Following submissions by the defendant’s counsel, Justice Osaghae adjourned the case to January 29, 2025, for a listening to on the preliminary objection.
It ought to be recalled that in 2024, the apex financial institution terminated the appointments of roughly 1,000 employees in 4 batches between March and Might.
Some affected employees claimed they obtained severance funds as little as N5,000, whereas others stated their gratuities have been completely absorbed to offset excellent loans.
Though the layoff was formally attributed to “reorganisation and human capital restructuring,” the affected employees argued that the method violated the CBN Act, which requires board approval for vital employment choices.
On December 4, 2024, the apex financial institution acknowledged that its early exit bundle was completely voluntary and got here with out destructive repercussions for eligible employees.