The National Industrial Court, Abuja, has fixed March 1, for report of settlement in a suit filed by the former Chief Judge of Abia, rtd Justice Kalu Amah, challenging non-payment of entitlements.
The court at the last adjourned date fixed Tuesday to take report of settlement after parties had earlier indicated interest to settle the matter out of court.
However, when the matter was came up before Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki- Osaghae, the claimant counsel Matthew Agbaga informed the court that an out of court settlement was still on going.
The counsel in addition said” in no distant time the matter will be resolved and parties will be able to file their report of settlement”.
The judge before adjourning the matter stated her displeasure at the pace the matter was going.
She stated that she was the third judge in the matter that had draggef on for too long.
Obaseki- Osaghae also said that for an ex- chief judge that retired since 2011 to resort to demanding for his benefits through the court and counsel treating the matter with levity was not encouraging.
She therefore adjourned the matter until March 1, for report of settlement.
The judge further directed that hearing notice should be served on the defendants and their counsel who were not present during the proceeding.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the claimant, Amah, who was the CJ of Abia from 1998 to 2006, instituted the suit against the defendants over alleged non-payment of his gratuity and pension benefits after his retirement in 2011 when he attained the mandatory retirement age
NAN also reports that joined in the suit as co-defendants are Abia Government and Attorney-General of Abia as first and second defendant respectively.
NAN
