The Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP), Abuja would hear its first case this year slated for Friday, March 24, 2023.
The case involves three unions that are in dispute over which of them has the right to unionise the workers of a Port-Harcourt-based organization.
The three unions include the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, the Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff Association and the National Union of Hotel and Personal Services Union.
A three-member tribunal headed by Olivia Ofodile Umeadi with Nsofor Ifeoma and Anthonia Adol-Wan serving as members will hear the dispute fixed for the IAP head office in Abuja.
Also outstanding is the industrial dispute awaiting a hearing that involves the Private Telecommunications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN) and MTN Communications with December 20, 2022, as the referral date.
Pursuant to the provisions of section 13(1)(a) of the Trade Disputes Act, an Arbitration Tribunal constituted for the hearing or determination of any Trade Dispute referred to the Panel shall deliver its award within 21 days from the date the Tribunal is constituted.
In another development, the IAP has expanded its operations with the establishment of three more zonal offices in different parts of Nigeria.
This followed approval granted by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige for the IAP to establish one office each in the six geopolitical zones.
According to the Chief Registrar of the IAP, Alhaji Ibrahim Ali Abdulhamidu, the three new zonal offices were located in Kano to be responsible for states in the North West Zone, the second is in Jalingo, capital of Taraba State to handle litigations in North-East geopolitical zone while that of South-East Zone is located in Umuahia, capital of Abia State.
Already, the Chief Registrar revealed that there exists an IAP office in Asaba, Delta State which Is responsible for the South-South zone; that of the South-West is situated in Lagos while the head office in Abuja handles litigations from states in the North Central.
He said with the establishment of more zonal offices, litigants would get justice at their doorsteps, adding that they do not have to travel far and wide to get their cases decided.
“This also has reduced cost and burden on the head office and the risk of travelling to far places to handle cases,” he said.
Alhaji Abdulhamidu disclosed that the zonal offices would be headed by Principal Registrars, adding that the zones would handle litigations from start to their logical conclusion just like the head office too.
In the event of an appeal, litigants go to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.
He said many cases that were not fully resolved had been taken to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for final adjudication
The Chief Registrar said “from January 2023, the IAP would now begin to charge fees for the cases brought before it. The amount is not fixed; it depends on the kind of briefing a litigant would submit.”
