Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara
The House of Representatives on Monday abruptly called off its
investigation into the decision of Virgin Atlantic Airways to sack its
Nigerian cabin crew.
Its joint Committee on Aviation/Labour and Employment said it deferred to
the fact that the matter was already before the National Industrial
Court.
Lead Chairman of the investigation, Mrs. Nkiruka Onyejeocha, confirmed
the receipt of the court processes shortly before the committee called
off the investigation at the National Assembly, Abuja.
Onyejeocha said, “We have received a court process and I have to say that
we have to adjourn at this point. We are a law-abiding House; even the
rules of the House bar us from delving into a matter that is before the
court.
“We will go back and study the court process and seek further
clarification where necessary.”
The House had on Thursday last week summoned the Minister of State for
Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, and the Minister of Labour/Employment, Dr.
Chris Ngige, to appear before the committee within 48 hours over the
decision of the airline to lay off its Nigerian cabin crew.
Also summoned were senior management officials of the airline.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by the
Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila had recalled that the airline took the action, ignoring a
pending resolution of the House, advising it to stay action while its
Committee on Aviation investigated the issue.
“Virgin Atlantic went ahead to dismiss hundreds of Nigerians in a bid to
pre-empt the final resolution of the House on this matter.
“But, this is one issue that must test our ability as a House to protect
our citizens. We have laws in this country and any company doing business
here should be prepared to do so by our laws,” Gbajabiamila had stated.
But as Sirika and officials of Virgin Atlantic appeared before the
committee on Monday, the lawyer for the firm, Mr. Festus Onyia, informed
lawmakers that the matter was already before the industrial court.
He told the committee that the same employees laid off by the airline
took the matter to court.
Onyia added that the employees went to the court to seek relief on the
“same allegations of discrimination”, which were being investigated by
the House.
He stated that the industrial court had long given a “notice of
injunction” restraining parties to the case from taking further actions
other than waiting for the decision of the court.
Onyia added, “The employees had gone to the National Industrial Court to
file a suit on this same matter.
“There is a notice of injunction as we speak, stopping the defendants
from seeking further actions as the case is in court.
“We are of the view that the matter has become sub judice. We are
constrained.
“Our reason for being here at all is because we have utmost respect for
the National Assembly.”
Speaking earlier, Sirika had told the committee that the ministry would
not support any policy by an employer in the aviation industry, which
discriminated against Nigerians.
“I hold issues of labour and employment rights of our people very dearly
to my heart.
“We will not cede our opportunities to other countries, especially in the
fields where we have the competence. No country will cede their own
employment opportunities to Nigerians,” the minister said.
Representatives of labour unions in the aviation sector also condemned
the sacking of the employees, describing it as discriminatory.
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