Ogun Assembly summons Chinese firms for ‘maltreating’ Nigerian workers

Ogun State House of Assembly has summoned the management teams of Italy Ceramics Company Limited located along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and CCETC Suk Power Company Limited for allegedly maltreating indigenous workers.

The firms are expected to explain the rationale behind the alleged inhumane treatment being meted on their employees, including physical assault and injury on the workers.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo issued the summon in response to a petition submitted by a member representing Ikenne State Constituency, Kunle Sobukanla during plenary at the Assembly Complex, on Thursday.

The management of the firms are to appear before the Assembly’s Committee on Industry, Trade and Investments on Monday.

Oluomo emphasised that though the State was committed to attracting investors, it would not habour investors that would maltreat the people of the state.

Earlier, Sobukanla informed the Assembly that the Chineseowned companies which were into the production of ceramics and electricity generation with hundreds of employees as supporting staff, had inflicted injuries on some of their employees.

The petition partly reads, “the company did not consider it necessary to provide medical attention for the injured employees, neither did they show any remorse for the injury inflicted on the workers.

“It is important to mention that it is not good enough for foreigners to be accommodated in Ogun State and Nigeria at large and such investors will not be able to reciprocate the kind gesture extended to them but instead, maltreating their host and employees inhumanly”.

In another development, the Assembly has adopted the interim report of its committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, calling on the Omala of Imala, Oba Moses Olabode to desist from hindering the developmental projects currently being undertaken by Olorunda community.

The Assembly’s decision followed the presentation of the report of the Committee by the Chairman, Hon. Ajayi Bolanle, who thereafter moved the motion for its adoption and seconded by the member representing Ipokia/ Idiroko State Constituency and supported by the Whole House through a voice vote.

The Assembly also pointed out the need for the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to step up measures towards setting the records straight on chieftaincyrelated issues in the affected communities.