Mother to court: Institute for Hospitality and Tourism collects my deceased son’s salary

The National Industrial Court, Abuja, on Friday heard that the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism was still paying the salaries of a deceased staff.
The deceased mother, Hajiya Bilikisu Sanusi, had dragged her late son’s employer to court, alleging non-payment of his entitlements to her as the representative of his estate.
The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Executive Director of the institute were joined as co-respondents.
Sanusi accused the institute of collecting a bulk of Mr Bashir Sanusi, the deceased salaries from the budget office after his death.
Counsel to the claimant, Mr Martin Okpara, urged the court to prevail on the institute to pay all outstanding entitlements and benefits to the deceased’s mother.
Okpara prayed the court’s order to ensure that all accrued salaries allegedly received on behalf of the deceased after his demise be returned to his mother or to the coffers of government.
He said that his client’s son died in the first quarter of 2009 but investigations showed that the institute still signed for his salaries at the budget office after his demise.
The act, he said, was criminal and defrauding the Federal Government of funds.
He, therefore, argued that the institute be forced to retire funds to the budget office and made to show evidence of such salary retirements.
The claimant, however, asked for N10 million damages for the misconduct and alleged inconsistencies in the deceased salaries while alive.
The suit, which was originally instituted at the Federal High Court in 2010, was transferred to the National Industrial Court in 2013.
The judge, Justice Peter Lifu, ordered the counsel to submit their written addresses on the next adjourned dated.
Lifu adjourned the case till July 13 for the adoption of final written addresses.