BUA Cement recalls 400 sacked workers

The Management of BUA Cement Company, Okpella, Edo State, has recalled over 400 sacked truck drivers earlier disengaged over protest following the intervention of the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, HRM, Mike Sado. The Monarch who disclosed this yesterday in Benin in chat with journalists, said the intervention became necessary following protests by the affected drivers, leading […]

The Management of BUA Cement Company, Okpella, Edo State, has recalled over 400 sacked truck drivers earlier disengaged over protest following the intervention of the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, HRM, Mike Sado.

The Monarch who disclosed this yesterday in Benin in chat with journalists, said the intervention became necessary following protests by the affected drivers, leading to their dismissal and the eventual shutdown of the company’s transport operations in Okpella. 

According to him, the development had worsened unemployment and hardship among residents.

“These were issues that even the state government was aware of, and community leaders had been making efforts to resolve them. When the drivers protested, management sacked about 400 of them and shut down the entire transport system, which created serious economic challenges,” he said.

He said disturbed by the development, he led a high-powered delegation to meet with the Chairman of BUA Group, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, where they resolved the impasse. 

He said the delegation appealed for leniency and reconsideration of the company’s earlier decision not to recall the affected workers.

“We pleaded with the chairman, and after deliberations, we all agreed that the drivers should be reinstated. Before now, management had concluded they would not be recalled, but the intervention yielded positive results,” he said.

He further stated that, beyond reinstatement, the BUA chairman also approved the payment of salary arrears owed to the workers for the period they were out of employment.

 

 

 

Sado also disclosed that the meeting also addressed broader community development concerns, including the long-promised construction of a hospital by BUA Cement. 

 

 

 

He however noted that the resolution of the labour dispute was part of efforts to uplift living standards and create opportunities for youths in the community.