The National Industrial Court, Port Harcourt division, has ordered Intels Nigeria Ltd to continuously pay one of its retired staff the sum of N1,233,180 ($3,000), as his monthly retirement fund for the rest of his life.
The court made this known in a statement on Friday, after the retiree, identified as Chief Patrick Udoh, sought the court’s discretion.
In his contention, Chief Udoh argued that there was a contractual undertaking between him and the company by the evidence presented.
According to the court, “From facts, the claimant- Chief Patrick Udoh had pleaded that he served the firm for about 20 years and was compulsorily retired from the services with the condition that his former boss would ensure that the firm would be paying him the sum of $3,000 (Three Thousand US Dollars) monthly as long as the firm continues to be in operation in Nigeria.”
However, the firm had opposed that the retiree’s former manager wrote the undertaking in his capacity to assist him after retirement.
It further claimed that the undertaking was in no way tied to the organization.
Giving the verdict, the presiding Judge, Justice Faustina Kola-Olalere, upheld that the undertaking and financial benefits agreed upon was the plaintiff’s right.
The judge, therefore, directed Intels Nigeria Ltd to pay compulsorily, retired staff, Chief Patrick Udoh, the sum of $325,183.5 as retirement benefit from 2012 till September 2021 within 30 days.
It further ordered the firm to continue to pay the retiree the sum of $3000 monthly with effect from October 2021 as long as he is alive and as long as the firm continues to operate in Nigeria.
