By Victor Ahiuma-Young, LAGOS
REPRESENTATIVES of over 600 disengaged dockworkers, yesterday, stormed Vanguard’s corporate head office protesting unpaid benefits by the Integrated Logistics Services Limited, INTELS, lamenting that 20 of them have died while waiting for their terminal and other benefits.
The protesting workers displayed placards with inscriptions such as ‘INTELS pay our terminal and other benefits’, ‘We have worked for U since 2005 to 2018’, ‘We reject being used as slaves in our country’, ‘Federal Government, we beg U, do not give INTELS another contract until it pays workers their terminal and other benefits’, ‘MD of NPA, beware of INTELS’. ‘A word is enough for the wise, Transportation Minister, Amaechi, beware of INTELs’. ‘Dem fit put U into trouble’, and so on.
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Efforts to speak with INTELS were unsuccessful, as telephone calls and text messages sent to its media consultant were not responded to, as of press time.
However, the spokesperson of the group, Mr. Effiok Asuquo Effiok, said they worked for three Stevedoring companies before their appointments were disengaged.
Effiok said: “The Stevedoring companies are Nted Internationals Limited (now Faiton Stevedoring Services Limited) involved in Service Boat and Berges operations in Onne Port, Port Harcourt in Rivers State, where we worked from 2005 to February 2020, before our disengagement.
“We also worked at Modern Stevedoring Services Limited, at Calabar, Cross River State, INTELS Berth, from 2005 to February 2020, before our termination, and Modern Stevedoring Services Limited, offering Offshore Stevedoring services to INTELS in Cross River State and Rivers State as well, from 2005 to 2018, when our appointments were terminated.
“We hear the Federal Government is planning to award another multi-million dollars contract to INTELS, apart from several other contracts INTELS is currently executing for the government.
“We are using this medium to beg the government not to award another contract to INTELS until it pays the terminal and other benefits it owes Nigerian workers.
“Also, the government should make INTELS sign undertaking to be a responsible employer and respect the Nigerian Industrial relations process as well as institutions as a condition for further business dealings.
“We have lost no fewer than 20 of our colleagues in Calabar, Onne, and Warri, to the cold hands of death since we were disengaged without pay as they had no money to meet their medical needs and other family commitments.
“As we speak, we have been informed that the General Manager, Operations, and other top management staff of INTELS have relocated to Lugano, Switzerland.
“We do not have anybody to complain to anymore. The sad story is that the Nigerians, who are overseeing INTELS activities here, have become demi-gods who do not care about our plight.
“Workers are really being enslaved by INTELS. The level of unfair Labour practices by INTELS is unimaginable.”
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