Association decries non-adherence to safety rules
Chairman of Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSAN), Cross River branch, Mr. Cosmos Akpiji has alleged that many industrial firms operating in the Esuk Utah industrial site near Calabar were not adhering to international safety practises. He said workers and residents of the area have been exposed to unnecessary dangers arising from […]
Chairman of Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSAN), Cross River branch, Mr. Cosmos Akpiji has alleged that many industrial firms operating in the Esuk Utah industrial site near Calabar were not adhering to international safety practises.
He said workers and residents of the area have been exposed to unnecessary dangers arising from activities of these firms.
Alongside the United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC), they alleged that Cakasa, Pebez and other companies were guilty of violating safety rules as well as engaging unregistered unions
“Our lawyers have written several letters to these companies to negotiate on the welfare of their members but refused to honour their invitations.
“We have been deprived of our right as labour union in this state by Cakasa, Pebez and other companies dealing in oil and gas in Esuk Utan Industrial Site. One, by refusing to attend to all our invitations and letters we have sent to them, they are rather engaging illegal unions. Secondly, they refused to give us audience to negotiate for the welfare of our members. And thirdly, they deprived the Cross Riverians in engaging in activities of work. they preferred to engage outsiders outside the state when we have capable people that can handle jobs here and that is against our constitution as a union.
“In safety, there is what we call (PPE), it is Personal Protective Equipment, They even mandate the workers after paying them peanuts to buy those things by themselves and it is not the duty of an employee, as a contractor, as you are negotiating for a project, you negotiate for all those things but instead, mandate the workers to come with all those equipment which we frown at.
“We want Cakasa and Pebez to sit down in a round table with the union and negotiate on what is obtainable for the workers.” The union demanded.
Speaking also, the State Secretary of United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC), Kalu Imong, threatened that labour was going to take drastic measures if the companies refused to negotiate with their affiliate.
Reacting, the Pebez contractor, Ejeh Chukwudi said it was not true that they do not honour union invitations but due process o incessant internal crises they have been unable to respond to them swiftly.
Chukwudi said, “They called me for a meeting which I honoured, they now went on to write plenty of what I should do for them. On the 10th January, they invited me again for another meeting but they have had endless wrangling amongst them so that we don’t know who to deal with.”