The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Ibadan Division, has consolidated all the 22 suits filed by the sacked staff of BOWEN university, Iwo, Osun State.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday, January 31, counsels to the 22 applicants told the court that the motion for consolidation of the suits was filed in July 2021, but dated March 3, 2022.
They said all parties have agreed that the 22 suits should be consolidated since it is the same matter and same parties that are involved.
Counsel to the defendant, BOWEN university, K.W. Bankole, did not object to the consolidation of the suits.
Ruling, Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale, consolidated all the suits and splited it into two.
She grouped the suits involving the 18 senior staff into group one and the suits involving the four junior staff into group two.
The judge adjourned hearing of the suit involving 18 senior staff to March 30, 2023 and the one involving the junior staff to May 23, 2023 respectively.
Recall that in December 2019, and June 2020, 147 staff were laid off by BOWEN university without payment of their entitlements and benefits.This prompted 22 out of the disengaged staff to file separate suits at the NICN in July 2021.
They claimed that most of them were pioneer staff of the institution and are therefore qualified for entitlements and benefits.
