The case instituted against Access Bank Nigeria Plc. about 1500 ex-employees over unpaid gratuities, came up for hearing on Tuesday at the National Industrial Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, where Justice A. O. Obaseki-Osaghae presided. The first hearing was on February 4, 2013.
In the aftermath of the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank Plc by Access Bank in 2012, about 1,500 employees of Intercontinental Bank were sacked due to high population of employees.
They were issued disengagement letters by Access Bank in January, 2012.
However, the sacked workers, in their joint suit, claimed that Access Bank and other parties managing their pensions had “illegally withheld, manipulated and mismanaged” their gratuities and severance packages.
They alleged that during the acquisition, their gratuity funds were moved from the Intercontinental Bank to Access Bank.
The plaintiffs also requested for the payment of interests on unpaid gratuities and N100m for “sufferings” occasioned by the deprivation of funds.
A lawyer, Mr. Kolade Akinyele, represented the sacked workers, while Mr. S. I. Onwuka represented Access Bank and all members of Intercontinental Bank’s Board of Trustees for Staff Gratuity Scheme, except Mr. Akeem Babatunde, the bank’s former secretary, who was represented by Mr. E. N. Tiku.
Other defendants are the fund managers of Intercontinental Bank Staff Gratuity Scheme – Crusader Sterling Limited, First Trustees Nigeria Limited and Nigeria Life and Provident Company Limited.
Tiku argued that since Babatunde left Access Bank following the acquisition, his name should be struck out of the suit and he should not be held liable for the unpaid funds.
He said, “Our contention is that Mr. Akeem Babatunde is no longer in the employment of Access Bank, neither is he on the Board of Trustees, hence he is not liable. I urge the court to dismiss the charge against him.”
However, Akinyele said, “I enjoin the court to look at the statement of fact in this matter. The argument that Akeem Babatunde, not being employed by Access Bank, is just a defence strategy.”
Justice Obaseki-Osaghae adjourned the case to June 27, 2013, to rule on whether Babtunde could be held liable for the unpaid funds.
She also granted extension of time for filing of appearance by the defendants’ lawyers.