UNDOINGTHE WRONGS OFTHE PAST
Iam one of the numerous Nigerians who affirm your political passion, will and courage to revolutionise this great country Nigeria, God with you. Here is a quote from your recent Eid-el-Fitri message to Nigerians: “I remain wholly committed to giving the required leadership towards undoing the wrongs of the past, ensuring that Nigeria truly begins to unlock its great potential and that the benefits of our immense national resources are shared and enjoyed by all, not just by successive cabals of corrupt leaders and their cronies.”
I want to bring to your notice a court order yet to be implemented. In 1989, P.P. Nyanta, my dad, still strong and healthy, was compulsorily retired from the Ministry of Lands and Surveys, Benin City in the then Bendel State. On Thursday, August 3, 1995, the Honourable Justice I.E. Ogbodo of the High Court in Asaba, Delta State, in a 19-page judgment suit No. A/18/92, against Delta State Civil Service Commission and Attorney General Delta State as defendants, declared: “Defendants are mandatorily ordered to reinstate the plaintiff into the public service forthwith and all payments, including entitlements due to him before the said retirement to be paid him immediately.” The then Military Administrator of Delta state Col. John David Dungs disapproved the payment and reinstatement.
In 2004, a congratulatory letter dated April 1, 2004, ref.No. C. 241/162 addressed to P. P. Nyanta from Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Urban Development Asaba, stated that he would be paid his gratuity and pension arrears only but not his salary arrears. This was a slash, contrary to the court order! The Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, Asaba commenced processing the entitlements and requested for more documents to add to the ones already in his file which he did make available, only for the office to declare that same file missing till date.
No kobo paid till date. In conformity with your promise of undoing the wrongs of the past I submit this to you because Nigerians believe that you will use your good offices to undo past wrongs and that your administration will go all the way to affect positively the least Nigerian in every nook and cranny.
I pray you look into the plight of pensioners in pursuance of their entitlements. Onome Nyanta, andrewnyanta@gmail.com