TheCable

Ahmed Idris, accountant-general of the federation (AGF), has refused to pay five-year salary of Yushau Shuaib, former spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), despite a verdict of the National Industrial Court.

Shuaib was retired from service under controversial circumstances in 2013.

His retirement was reportedly linked to an opinion article he wrote on Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance.

The former NEMA spokesman challenged his retirement at the National Industrial Court.

On November 22, 2017, David Isele, the presiding judge, ordered the reinstatement of Shuaib and the payment of his salary arrears from 2013 till the date of judgement.

In September 2018, the federal civil service reinstated Shuaib, while the salary arrears remained unpaid.

In a bid to ensure compliance to the court verdict in terms of salary arrears payment, a contempt charge was filed against Lai Mohammed, minister of information, seeking his committal to prison for refusal to obey court order.

On March 1, 2019, the minister in a letter addressed to the court said Shuaib has been reinstated and that the AGF has been directed to pay salary arrears of the reinstated worker into his bank account.

Despite the court verdict and the directive of the information minister, Idris has refused to comply with the directive.

Meanwhile, James Ode Abah, Shuaib’s lawyer, has issued a 7-day ultimatum to Idris to comply with the court order on the payment of the salary arrears or be charged to court for contempt.

“We hold the office of the Accountant-General in high esteem and we anticipate the prompt compliance in the full payment of the outstanding salary arrears and emoluments due to our client from the year 2013 -2018 within 7 days from the receipt of this letter as computed by the Federal Ministry of Information and culture,” Shuaib’s lawyer said.

“If you do not accede to our clients demand within 7 days, we have the instruction of our client to institute contempt proceedings against you and to join your good office as a necessary party with respect to our contempt proceedings pending at the National Industrial Court.”

The case will be heard at the court on February 3, 2021.