An Industrial Court in Lagos has mandated Arik Air to compensate a former employee, Mrs. Andreia Perdigao, with eight months’ salary arrears amounting to $21,466.64 after she was wrongfully dismissed in 2017. The court ruling, marked SUIT NO.: NICN/LA/532/2017, confirmed that Mrs. Perdigao, who worked as an air hostess for three years, was entitled to her unpaid salaries from December 2016 to March 2017.
In addition to the unpaid salaries, the court awarded Mrs. Perdigao $2,683.33 as general damages for breach of contract, bringing the total compensation to over $24,000. Justice M.N. Esowe, delivering the judgment, instructed Arik Air to pay the aggregated sum of $21,466.64 and the damages, with a 15% interest on all judgment sums from the date of the ruling until full payment is made.
Despite the judgment being issued on May 9, it has not been enforced yet, as Arik Air’s Head of Corporate Communications, Adebajo Ola, claimed to be unaware of the ruling. The case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by employees seeking redress for wrongful termination and unpaid salaries in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Source: Punch