By Jerry Olomolaye
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has picketed Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation over alleged unfair labour practices.
Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja, the NLC General Secretary, who led the picketing with workers of various unions in Abuja, described the unfair practices by foreign companies as dehumanising.
The protesting workers, who temporarily shut down construction site of the building of the new headquarters of the ECOWAS, carried placards with inscriptions: “Don’t kill our workers with poor wage”; “Stop the harassment”, and “Stop the maltreatment”, among others.
He said that the protest was to liberate the workers from enslavement and hash conditions of work that Nigerian workers are subjected to by the Chinese company.
According to him, the congress responded to complaint by the Federal Capital Teritory (FCT) chapter of the construction workers union over bad working conditions at the construction site.
“The Chinese company had engaged the workers on adhoc basis with no conditions of service attached nor any welfare or medical services in place.
“Regrettably, due to the deplorable work conditions at the place, one of the workers, a driver, Mr Augustine Okunbor, died out of neglect and lack of timely medical attention,” he said.
Ugboaja, however added that the picketing action would continue, hoping to engage the management of Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation in discussion to address the concerns of their workers.
On the demise of the driver (Okunbor), Ugboaja called on the Federal Government to ensure that local and foreign companies prioritise the rights and welfare of workers.
According to him. Mrs Ruth Okunbor migrated with her husband and family to Abuja to earn a living and now the man has ended up six feet down, leaving his poor widow to face the vagaries of life.
“There is no pension, no gratuity, no food, no water and no explanation, where will help come from. This is the challenge we have. This challenge is real,” he said.
Also, the wife of the deceased (Mrs Ruth Okunbor) said her husband had secured the job last year as a driver with the Chinese company and that the condition given to him does not allow him to come home after work.
“My husband will work from Monday till Sunday. I used to ask him whether they give him bonus for the overtime and extra work he was doing and he said no.
“My husband will work from morning till night with no food and he will not be allowed to come home. Even when he comes home, he won’t stay up to an hour before hurrying back to the site,” she said.
She also noted that after her husband returned to work in January after Christmas festivities, he stayed back for two months at the company without visiting home, only for her to find out that he was ill.
Okunbor added that the company failed to take her husband to the hospital and still did not allow him go home for treatment.
“When they eventually permitted him to go home, his situation has worsened. He was having swollen neck and looking highly malnourished,” according to her.
Okunbor said that she took her husband to the Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital in Abuja and later to the National Hospital where he passed on.
She also said the Chinese company failed to heed her pleas for assistance, rather what she got was a termination letter for her husband.
The Congress, in conjunction with the Construction workers’ Union, had promised to assist the widow in all ways possible pending the outcome of its interface with the company.