Court orders Bayelsa to reinstate 800 sacked tertiary institutions workers

The National  Industrial Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has ordered the immediate reinstatement of employees of Niger Delta University, NDU, Amassoma and Isaac Jasper College of Education, Sagbama, who were dismissed from service in 2018.

The sacked workers were alleged to be redundant and declared over-aged by the Seriake Dickson administration.

But the National Industrial Court, presided over by Justice Attahiru Alkli, held that the termination was null and void, baseless and not carried out through due processes, thus, the employees be reinstated with their full benefits duly paid.

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Counsel to the plaintiffs, Boma Miebai and Emmanuel Essien, while expressing satisfaction with the judgement, said justice had been served and promised to ensure that the ruling is implemented.

On their parts, leaders of the disengaged staff from NDU and COE, Isiki Ebidoki and Lawrence Kokobaikeme, who expressed joy that judgement was given in their favour, following what they described as a baseless dismissal, called on the state government to honour the ruling of the court.

Two of the disengaged staff, Pauline Blessing and Tom Friday, lamented that the dismissal caused them pain and depression, as a lot of them lost their lives when they could no longer afford to cater for their families, but prayed the state government to swiftly implement the court ruling.