Court warns information ministry over incessant delay in 3-year old suit

National Industrial Court (NIC), Abuja has warned the Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) against the continued delay in the hearing of a three-year old legal action instituted against it and two others by a former employee, Yushau Shuaib.

The warning from the court followed a complaint by lawyer to the plaintiff, James Odeh, that the Ministry of Information had in the past three years employed delay tactics to frustrate hearing of the civil action while other defendants, especially the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) had been diligent in the court.

At the resumption of the hearing when the plaintiff was to be cross-examined, its lawyer did not represent the Federal Ministry of Information but instead the ministry wrote a letter to the court requesting for another adjournment.

The plaintiff counsel, Odeh, who was surprised that the Ministry wrote for an adjournment instead of its counsel, accused the ministry of frustrating hearing of the legal action that was instituted against it to challenge the legality of the compulsory retirement of the plaintiff three years ago.

Although the adjournment was granted till July 12, 2016, Justice Edet Isele warned the defendant against undue delay of hearing of the case in the interest of justice, adding that Justice delayed was justice denied.

The plaintiff, Shuaib had dragged the Federal Civil Service Commission, Federal Ministry of Information and the former minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala before the NIC to challenge his compulsory retirement from the Federal Civil Service after a media publication.

In the court action, the plaintiff prayed for an order of the court against the civil service commission to reinstate him to his post as chief information officer forthwith without any loss at to seniority.