Kunle Adelabu
The Lagos State Council, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), returned to Ikorodu again to ensure that the Spring Feeds Nigeria Limited, lkorodu, is not operating due to the company’s management refusal to compensate one of his workers that lost a hand during factory work.
The NLC State Chairman, Comrade Funmi Sessi, as early as 7am on Monday, led other state executives of the union and leaders from other associated unions to picket on the animal feeds producing factory located at Ayetoba/Alhaji Rasaki Shokunbi Street, off Itamaga/Ijede Road, Ikorodu.
Adekunle Shokunbi, a 22 year old, had his right hand cut off by a factory machine when a co – worker turned the engine on while his hand was in the machine.
The labour leaders, accompanied by the victim and his mother, had in October shut down the company. Since then, the Chairman of the state union alleged that the owner of the company, Dayo Seriki Oshitade, has refused to dialogue with them and the victim despite being afforded ample opportunities to do that.
After storming the company, union members, numbering about 200, took to the Itamaga Road to occupy the Itamaga Roundabout carrying big NLC placards and another carrying the images of the victim on the hospital bed and the remaining of his hand severed from his body.
At the roundabout, Comrade Sessi sensitised the pubic on the reason for the protest and charged them to join in condemning the company for neglecting the victim. Unionists at the junction danced to Fela Anikulapo music and chanted protest songs against the company and its owner.
Men of the Nigerian Police, led by the Divisional Police Officer of the Ikorodu Divisional Police Headquarters, ASP Aderemi Balogun, were seen ensuring that the protest went on peacefully.
The NLC team, which comprised of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Ikorodu branch, led by its Chairman, Comrade Femi Fakola; Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees in Ikorodu led by the Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Comrade… and academic and non – academic union of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), ASUU Secretary, Comrade Uthman Olayinka among other associated unions, also visited the Ayangbure palace in lkorodu, to intmate His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabir Shotobi, on the development.
Although, the monarch was out of town, but the protesters left a message for him with the palace aides.
The State NLC Chairman, Comrade Sessi, addressing media men, said that the refusal of the company’s owner to dialogue on compensation led to their return to ensure that the company is not operating.
She also said that the labour union will continue to ensure that the interests of workers are protected in Lagos State.
“We are here again to demand justice for the poor boy whose hand was chopped off in this company (Spring Seed). The owner of the company, Mrs Seriki has been proving difficult to sit down with the labour and parents of the poor boy to discuss compensation for the boy”, she said.
“No matter what, this accident happened in your company and it is because the company do not have safety rules and guidelines to protect the workers here.
“If Labour failed to come here, next time, I am sure that they would call us that somebody has died, but we don’t want that. We are to prevent that.
“We are here to send signal to every company in Lagos State that it’s not going to be business as usual”, she added.
“If the government agencies fail to do their monitoring , the Nigeria Labour Congress is forming committee on health and safety to ensure that lives of Nigerians who are working to earn a Iiving is protected”, she said.
Attempts to reach the owner of the company proved abortive.
