A member of the House of Representatives, Timehin Adelegbe, has intervened in the crisis between the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority Administration (OGFZAA) and one of its workers, Mr. Funmilayo Omosule, who alleged unfair treatment and suspension.

Adelegbe, representing Owolose Federal Constituency, Ondo State, in a letter to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, pleaded for the urgent settlement of the impasse, which has dragged for over eight years.

The National Assembly member noted that Omosule was one of the ministry’s staff in OGFZAA before he was allegedly eased out of office in 2011.

He said, “This culminated in a legal battle between Omosule and the authority. However, the authority has pleaded for out-of-court settlement. Till date, this settlement has not materialised.

“Sir, it is on this premise that Funmilayo David Omosule, who is from my constituency, I am pleading that you use your good office to settle this matter once and for all,” he said.

He added that the worker, who was a manager on level 12 before his suspension, has health challenges and is out of the country.

“Meanwhile, Mr. Omosule has health challenges (find attached the memo from his hospital in the United States of America, where he is undergoing radiation therapy for prostrate cancer.)

“Let me plead that his half salary arrears according to the civil service rules be paid immediately to attend to his health challenges,” he said.

Related News

Though the case in which Omosule was challenging his suspension and also asking for N50 million as exemplary and general damages was billed to come up for hearing at the National Industrial Court in Abuja on September 26, he, however, said he was ready for out of court settlement to save the country unnecessary wastage.

Similarly, in a letter he wrote to the Minister of Industry, has ststed that, “I immediately direct settlement of my half salary in arrears to enable me feed well, pay outstanding medical bills and get prescribed medication to treat lumbar pain on my right waist caused by stress and trauma as a result of uncomfortable life in the last seven years.

“I am ready for a responsible out-of-court settlement that will ensure equitable justice and fairness to all parties, in addition to an administrative probe into the crisis so as to avoid a recurrence.”

Omosule had, in his statement of facts, claimed that he was a manager on grade 12 working for the defendant before he was suspended in 2011 on trumped-up allegations of falsification of documents.

He has asked for the court’s declaration that he was still a staff of OGFZAA and entitled to all the rights, privileges and benefits due to him by reason of his employment.

Furthermore, Omosule is seeking an order of the court directing the defendant to reinstate him to the position of a director, on grade level 17, a position he claimed his contemporaries were currently at.

He claimed that his ordeal started when he exposed fraud of over N100 million perpetrated in the agency by entrenched interests.