Emmanuel Thomas, Lagos
July 8, 2015 – Former employees of Compass Newspapers, published by Western Publishing today rounded off their testimony against the newspaper owned by former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel at the Nigerian Industrial Court, Lagos.
The journalists bore testimony against the newspaper for outright refusal to pay former workers all their entitlements, including salaries, leave allowance, cooperative contribution, non-remittance of pension and refusal to meet up with their statutory contribution to selected pension administrators among others.
The journalists argued in court that the media outfit deliberately refused to pay salary even when management staff each received two brand new cars in a period of four years and where holding buffets during editorial meetings every Monday and yet refused to pay workers their legitimate income.
The journalists comprising Emmanuel Ukudolo, Victor Asowata, Azuka Nwokocha, Sebastine Eyinnna, Kolawole Ayodele, Hope Abel and Usoro Ndianobong filed the suit on Thursday March 27 at the Nigerian Industrial Court in Ikoyi, Lagos through their lawyer, Mr. Nkem Eke of Nkem Eke & Co Barristers and Solicitors.
The plaintiffs are pleading that the court should compel Gbenga Daniel , owner of Western Publishing to pay the workers all their emoluments running into several millions.
Speaking in behalf of the complainants, Ayodele said that the Daniel’s Western Publishing, owners of Nigerian Compass owned them salaries in excess of one year and deducted payee which it refused to remit to the Ogun State Government; deducted cooperative contribution from source which it refused to remit to the cooperative; deducted contributory pension which it refused to remit to Trust Fund, IBTC Pension and other pension administrators even when it refused to pay its own share of the contributory pension.
He added that by so doing the company denied them legitimate income, right to retirement income and deprived them of their right as tax complying workers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The matter has been fixed for December 8 and 9, 2015 for continued hearing at court 3, Nigerian Industrial Court, Lagos.
