By Fatima Saka
The Federal Ministry of Steel Development and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have reached an amicable resolution over the legal dispute concerning the voluntary resignation of Mr. Victor Effiong Ekpaha, a staff member of the Metallurgical Training Institute (MTI), Onitsha.
The resolution followed a meeting between officials of the Ministry and representatives of the NLC, who had earlier picketed the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday. The NLC’s action was in response to concerns raised by Mr. Ekpaha regarding a court judgment in his favor.
According to a press statement released on Friday by Salamatu F. Jibaniya, Head of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry, a detailed briefing by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, led to a mutual understanding between both parties.
The statement reads in part:
> “For the record, the NLC’s picketing of the Ministry’s headquarters was based on its interpretation of a National Industrial Court judgment in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/45/2018 — Victor E. Ekpaha v. Metallurgical Training Institute & Anor. Contrary to perception, the protest was not in pursuit of general workers’ welfare, but focused on the individual case of Mr. Ekpaha.”
Mr. Ekpaha was employed by the MTI on March 2, 2001. He voluntarily resigned from service on August 5, 2005, citing the non-payment of his February to April 2005 salaries. His resignation was formally accepted on August 12, 2005, after he was given seven days to reconsider, and he was issued an exit clearance certificate.
Despite his voluntary resignation, Mr. Ekpaha later sought to return to service and filed a suit at the National Industrial Court. On March 22, 2021, the court ruled in his favor, ordering his reinstatement and payment of outstanding emoluments.
The Ministry, dissatisfied with the judgment, filed a notice of appeal on July 6, 2021, and an amended notice on January 31, 2022. A motion for a stay of execution is currently pending before the court.
“In response to several appeals — including from the NLC and based on the advice of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation — the Ministry engaged Mr. Ekpaha’s legal representatives in settlement discussions. A sum of N30 million was mutually agreed upon as full and final payment of the judgment debt,” the statement continued.
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However, Mr. Ekpaha later rejected the agreement, allegedly demanding over N2 billion — a figure the Ministry described as “baseless and unsupported by any known salary scale.”
Dr. Isokpunwu emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to resolving the matter amicably, regardless of the NLC’s actions. He announced that a joint committee would be established to thoroughly examine the case.
“We urge the NLC to engage with the Joint Committee in good faith for a clear understanding of the facts and to facilitate a mutually acceptable resolution,” the statement concluded.
