Group challenges Chines company over worker’s plight in Kogi

AbdulAhad Otuoze
PAN African Youth Development Network has called President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of labour and employment to look into the alleged slavery and injustice meted on Nigerian youth by the management of BN ceramics Nigeria Limited.
The President of PAN African Youth Development Network Ambassador Habib Muhammad made the call when he led other members of the organisation to BN ceramics company owned by Chinese investors based in Ajaokuta, Kogi State and
Addressing the management of the company after the team toured the production site, Muhammed explained that the visit was borne out of series of complaints received from the workers of the industry.
He lamented that after the tour of BN ceramics factory the group observed a lot of irregularities perpetrated by the management of the company on Nigeria youth whom they engaged as factory workers.
The youth leader who was visibly furious stated that the organisation can not sit down and allow Nigerian youth being used as slaves in their own country, adding that they can not allow the effort of President Buhari to be sabotage in this country by foreigners .
He blamed the Human Resource Manager of the company Salihu Mohammed for conniving with the Chinese to suffer Nigeria youth through arbitrary deduction of their salaries, poor remuneration and hazardous working environment.
He therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene by prevailing on the company to stop all forms of anti-workers’ activities and improve on the welfare and wellbeing of workers, threatening that if urgent steps are not taking by the federal government the youth in the country will protest vehemently for the closure of the ceramics company and other companies owned by foreigners that are maltreating Nigerians.
The President of coalition of youth organisations in Nigeria,
Barrister Oladotun Hassan who was part of the team that visited the company stated that the workers of BN Ceramics Nigeria limited have complaint of gross ineptitude , devaluation and violation of human rights as contained in the labour law, stressing that the tour to the factory of the company proved that the complaints are genuine.
He alleged that the company has violated the factory Act 2004 of the federal republic of Nigeria in relation to health, safety, hazard and precautionary measures , expressed displeasure over prolonged working hours and casualisation of workers and working without appointment letters as complained by the employees of BN Ceramics Limited.
The youth leader also disclosed that a legal action will be taking over the shooting of one Oloye Elega, a cleaner in the company who was paid a paltry sum of money as compensation.
He also called on the Minister of labour Dr Chris Ngige to act swiftly with a view to end such anomalies , stressing that the minister can not be sitting in the comfort of his office while foreigners are dehumanizing Nigerian youth under the pretense of creating jobs for Nigerians.
But in response to the allegations , the Human Resource Manager and Spokesman of BN Ceramics, Saliu Mohammed, claimed that most of the allegation are not true, saying that the working condition provided by the firm is the best the firm could offer.
He noted that work officially closes by 5:00pm everyday while the overtime period is between 5:00pm and 7:00pm, explaining that work during public holidays attract twice that amount paid for overtime.
He assured that his office would liaise with the owners of the company to look at the some of the issues raised by the visitors.