The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Federal Government to reinstate Professor Monday Igwe as the Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, declaring the termination of his appointment as unlawful, null and void.
The court presided over by Hon. Justice Emmanuel Subilim, also voided the appointment of Dr Unaogu Nneka as substantive Medical Director of the hospital during the pendency of the suit, describing the action as overreaching and unlawful.
The court which directed that the reinstated Medical Director be allowed to complete his tenure held that he successfully proved his case against the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and 4 others.
The court further ordered payment of Prof Igwe’s emoluments from September 2023 up to the date of the judgment.
Justice Subilim declared that the procedure adopted for the purported termination of Prof. Igwe’s appointment was arbitrary, illegal, and a fundamental breach of the mandatory statutory provisions and regulations governing his employment.
The Court further awarded the sum of N3m in favour of Prof. Igwe, the significant distress, inconvenience, reputational damage, and disruption to his career and personal life suffered as a direct consequence of the arbitrary and unlawful termination of his statutory employment.
Prof Igwe, was first appointed Medical Director of the hospital via a letter dated April 12, 2019, for a tenure of four years. His appointment was renewed for a second term in 2023 and was suspended from office in a letter dated September 20, 2023.
However, the MD argued that his suspension runs contrary to the public service rules and the approved disciplinary procedure for Chief Executives of federal government parastatals, agencies and departments.
