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.
The 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.
PunchNG
