Obey Supreme Court order, NPA retirees tell Malami

Retirees of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) has appealed to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to comply with the Supreme Court judgment, which ordered payment of their pension and gratuity to the tune of about N108 billion.

The retirees, who bowed out of service in 1991, urged the minister to save their soul, as they were currently living in abject poverty, untold hardship and rising death of their members, who lacked funds to manage their health conditions.

The Chairman of the group, Engr. Gabriel Shotunde, who spoke on behalf of his members, said the Supreme Court judgment in a suit number SC/190/2003 dated May 11, 2007, affirmed the decision of the Lagos State High Court in suit number LD/1827/92 that the plaintiff who served the NPA up to five years were entitled to gratuity of one year total emoluments.

“The Supreme Court judgment also held that the plaintiff, who served above 10 years, are entitled to pension and redundancy benefit under the Pension Act 1990.

“Despite getting the judgment from the apex court, the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service and the Attorney General before Malami, have failed to comply with the judgment and pay the benefits.

“Some cabinet members of the NPA, who see themselves above the law are also truncating the final decision of the apex court and have made it difficult for us to get our benefits after serving meritoriously,” the chairman said.

Shotunde further said that the NPA’s consistent claim of compliance with the Supreme Court judgment is deceitful and full of contradictions.