Construction Workers Protest Alleged Plan To Sack Them

Hundreds of workers of HITECH Engineering Company on Tuesday took to the streets of Benin City, the Edo state capital, southsouth Nigeria, in protest over alleged plan by the management of the construction company to sack them.

HITECH Engineering Company is one of the construction companies engaged by Edo State government to handle some of the storm water control project presently going on in Benin City.

The workers who marched through several streets of the city carried placards with inscriptions such as “No to redundancy, No to Lebanese oppression”.

They sang solidarity songs as they took their protest to the Governor’s office in GRA.

One of the angry protesters, Agbons Uyibor who spoke to P.M.NEWS said the management of HITECH has not been truthful in their dealing with their workers.

According to him, the construction company engaged them as casual workers 15 months ago and promised to regularise their appointments after three months.

Uyibor said they took to the streets when they learnt that the company was planning to disengage them without any benefit, which he said was contrary to the promise given to them when they were employed.

“They employed us as casual workers, with a daily salary of N800. They also promised to regularise our employment after three months. But up till now, after 15 months, they are yet to do so. Instead, they want to sack us Edo workers, leaving those from Lagos State. We say no to this. We say no to Lebanese oppression,” Uyibor said.

All efforts to get the reaction of officials of HITECH Engineering Company proved abortive as none of the senior members of staff met at the company’s yard along New Lagos Road was willing to speak to the press.

—Jethro Ibileke/Benin City