Garnishee Order: Bank Accounts of Nasarawa State, Local Govts Remain Frozen
Rabiu Omaku
All Bank accounts belonging to the Nasarawa State Government and the thirteen Local Governments remain frozen until the determination of the National Industrial Court, following the placing ganishee order by the concerned group of pensioners in Nasarawa State.
The Industrial Court in Makurdi, Benue State has fixed 28th July 2023 for ruling on an application seeking to recuse the Presiding Judge, Justice Isaac Essien from proceeding with a creditors Judgement case instituted against Nasarawa State Government by a group of aggrieved Pensioners in the State.
Justice Isaac Essien gave the new date after hearing arguments from counsels to the parties involved in the suit during the court sitting in Makurdi Benue State.
The concerned group of pensioners in Nasarawa State dragged the State Government before the Industrial Court Makurdi Benue state seeking, he full enforcement of a creditors Judgement case for payment of their retirement entitlements.
While the suit was scheduled for ruling on the 28 of July 2023, the case took a new twist when the State Government in a petition applied for the Presiding Judge, Justice Isaac Essien to step aside from further proceeding with the case.
After hearing arguments from counsels to Nasarawa State Government and the concerned pensioners involved in the case, the Presiding Judge Justice Isaac Essien adjourned till 28 July 2023 to decide on whether or not to step aside from the case.
In an interview, counsel to the Nasarawa State Government Mr Isaac Edoh who is also the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Justice stated that Justice Isaac Essien was an interested party and the appropriate thing for him to do was to recuse himself from the case.
While counsel to the pensioners Mr Sunday Okpale explained that the application for the Presiding Judge to recuse himself from the case was uncalled for as according to him, the name of the judge was not among the list of the clients he is representing.
Mr Okpale however maintained that he remained hopeful that justice would be served in the case no matter the delay.
Meanwhile, accounts belonging to Nasarawa State Government and the 13 Local Government Areas in three banks that were affected by the garnishee order have remained restricted until the determination of the matter.
It could be recalled that Governor Abdullahi Sule led-administration inherited the litigation instituted by retirees during the reign of the immediate past Governor of the State, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
During the past Government in the State, over 1000 pensioners approach a court of competent jurisdiction, that is the National Industrial Court which leads to the garnishee of both State and Local Government accounts.
