HND graduates sue FG for alleged discrimination- JULY 4, 2014 BY ADE ADESOMOJU
Polytechnic graduates and other holders of the Higher National Diploma have sued the Federal Government for alleged discrimination in promotion, employment and remuneration against them in the public service.
They filed the suit before the National Industrial Court in
Abuja.
The plaintiffs are challenging the alleged discrimination
against them in “career progression in public service.”
The plaintiffs in the suit are Garba Bello, Babatunde
Samuel, Jubril Kadiri, Christiana Owolabi, Chuba Umechukwu and Fatima Ahmed.
They claimed to be suing for themselves and onbehalf of HND holders in public service.
The defendants are the National Council on Establishments,
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Attorney General of the Federation.
The plaintiffs are praying for, among others, an order directing the defendants to implement the directives contained in the Government White Paper on the report of the Presidential Committee on the Consolidation of Emoluments in the Public Sector.
In a supporting affidavit, Bello averred that President Olusegun Obasanjo had, in 2004 and 2005, embarked on public sector reform and constituted a committee that addressed the disparities in the public service.
He added that a White Paper Committee was set up in 2007 for
the consolidation of public service’ employees’ emoluments, and that in 2008 an
Implementation Committee was also set up, which made recommendations.
Bello stated that despite these “recommendations and
conclusions, the
applicants and other holders of the HND certificates are still being discriminated against
and still suffer at the various work places.”
applicants and other holders of the HND certificates are still being discriminated against
and still suffer at the various work places.”
Hearing in the case was stalled on Friday following an application by the counsel for the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, A.K Kamar, seeking time to file a reply.
He said the office of his client was not aware that the case
was fixed for hearing on Friday.
Plaintiffs’ lawyer, Nnaemeka Ejiofor, told the court that despite their competence, HND holders in the public service were not allowed to rise beyond Grade Level 14 as against their
university graduate counterparts.
He urged the court to grant the case accelerated hearing.
The presiding judge, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, ordered the
defendants to file all necessary processes before the next date and adjourned
till September 18 for hearing.
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