The Garnishee Of Nisi was given by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Port-Hacourt Division recently against the medical centre subsequent to an earlier judgement In favour of the Fund ordering the medical centre to enroll it's workers in the Employees' Compensation Scheme, ECS and to pay the sum of forty million, one hundred and seventy three thousand, three hundred and thirty eight naira, and eighty seven kobo (N40,173,338:87).
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, Port Harcourt Region through its Port Harcourt Branch instituted a legal action against Sonabel Medical Centre "over the
company’s repeated and willful refusal to comply with the Employees’
Compensation Act, 2010."
The ruling by the National industrial court, further stated that, "Since 2016, NSITF made several efforts to secure compliance from Sonabel
Medical Centre with respect to statutory contributions under the Employee
Compensation Scheme, which is designed to provide compensation to
employees who suffer work-related injuries, disabilities, or death.
However,the company ignored all efforts and persistently refused to comply with its
obligations under the law."
The ruling also states that, "As a result, the NSITF Port Harcourt Region, through its Port Harcourt Branch
Office initiated legal proceedings with suit number NICN/PHC/62/2024. The
court, upon reviewing the merits of the case entered judgment in favour of
NSITF in the sum of Forty Million, One Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand,
Three Hundred and Thirty Eight Naira, Eighty Seven kobo (N40,173,338.87)."
"In a bid to enforce this Judgement, the legal officers initiated Garnishee
proceedings and secured a Garnishee Order Nisi, leading to the freezing of
Sonabel Medical Centre’s Bank accounts pending the hearing for the Order
Absolute." it concluded
Though the Employees Compensation Act, ECA, 2010 which established the Employees Compensation Scheme, ECS, provided for enforcement, the NSITF has always favoured persuasion over enforcement, resorting to the latter as last option.