Former staff of the defunct Rivers State Road Traffic Management Authority (TIMARIV) have lost their case at the National Industrial Court (NIC) sitting in Port Harcourt where they sought to have their rights enforced and their disbandment reversed.

In dismissing their suiut brought before it, the presiding judge, Justice Faustina Iyabode Kola-Olalere held that the over 300 disengaged workers of the agency were not civil servants and as such were not entitled to any of the benefits they sought to get through it.

The Rivers State Government had disengaged the TIMARIV workers in June 2015 upon assumption of office by the incumbent Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The Rivers State Road Traffic Management Authority (TIMARIV) was established in December 2009 by the then Governor of the State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to provide traffic management services to motorists and other road users in the State.

Alongside the TIMARIV workers over 350 staff of the Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic were also allegedly dismissed from the institution ostensibly on the orders of the Governor.

The NIC dismissed the suit brought before it by the erstwhile TIMARIV staff challenging their disbandment on the premse that they could not adduce any proof of employment to justify their claims of being in the employ of the State Government.

According to the Court, available evidence indicated clearly that the State Government had not acted outside the contract of engagement stipulated in the employment letters through which the TIMARIV workers were employed, stressing that they were not hired as civil servants in the Rivers State Government.

Justice Kola-Olalere further held that the disengaged TIMARIV workers were not entitled to allowances, compensation, gratuity and retirement emoluments.

The Rivers State Traffic Management Agency (TIMARIV) was established in

The judge noted that the matter was defective because it was brought through originating summons instead of complaints.

Reacting to the judgment of the court, the State Counsel, Patrick Enebeli told newsmen that the Judgment has proved that the disengaged TIMARIV workers have no case against the State Government.

On his part, one of the TIMARIV staff, Amachree Mac-Jaja said they will consult their lawyers to decide on the next line of action.