In a display of solidarity, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday gathered outside the premises of Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation in Abuja to voice their concerns on allegations of workers’ maltreatment.
The picketing action at the Chinese construction company handling the construction of the ECOWAS new office complex in Lugbe, Abuja was aimed at drawing attention to the company’s alleged violations of labour rights and dehumanisation of workers.
The management of the construction company did not respond to the allegations raised by labour.
General secretary of NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja who addressed the workers said that the congress responded to a complaint by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the construction workers union over bad working conditions at the construction site.
Ugboaja said the Chinese company engaged the workers on adhoc basis with no conditions of service attached nor any welfare or medical services in place.
While lamenting the death of one of the workers, Mr Augustine, a driver who died out of neglect and lack of timely medical attention, Ugboaja said that the leadership of labour hopes to engage the company’s management in discussion to address the concerns of their workers.
Narrating her ordeal, the widow of the deceased staff, Mrs Ruth Augustine said the company failed to take her husband to the hospital and still did not allow him to go home for treatment.
“When they eventually permitted him to go home, his situation worsened. He was having a swollen neck and looking highly malnourished,” she said.
According to Mrs Augustine the Chinese company failed to heed her pleas for assistance. Instead she said that what she got was a termination letter for her husband.
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