By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State Council, has warned that it will take tougher action against Karma Agric Processing Company if the management fails to address concerns over the alleged maltreatment of workers and violations of workplace safety standards.
The NLC Chairman in Oyo State, Comrade Kayode Martins, gave the warning on Friday during a protest at the company’s premises along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ibadan, where he called for improved workers’ welfare, adequate safety measures and respect for employees’ rights.
Comrade Martins said the Union was moved to intervene following reports circulating on social media alleging that a worker had been assaulted, leaving two workers hospitalised.
He added that the NLC had received further reports of previous incidents in which workers allegedly died under circumstances that raised concerns about safety conditions at the facility.
According to him, one worker was reportedly thrown into water, with management allegedly taking three days to discover the incident, while another worker was said to have died following exposure to chemicals or similar substances.
The NLC chairman, however, presented these accounts as reports received by the Congress, stressing the need for the company to address the allegations and ensure that appropriate workplace safety standards were maintained.
He commended security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police, for their support during the intervention, adding that the congress held a peaceful meeting with the company’s management to discuss the issues.
Comrade Martins said the NLC had invited the management to a follow-up meeting to assess the steps taken to improve workers’ welfare and ensure that employees allegedly injured in the reported incident received proper medical attention and other necessary support.
He maintained that any pattern of workplace deaths or injuries should prompt an urgent review of the company’s safety procedures to prevent further incidents.
The labour leader also called on the management to allow trade unions to operate freely within the establishment, describing organised labour as an important channel through which workers could communicate their grievances to employers and resolve disputes before they escalated.
He said the congress had established a communication structure involving union leaders who would serve as liaison officers between the workers and the NLC leadership.
Comrade Martins warned that the congress would return to the facility if it received credible information suggesting that workers’ rights or safety were being compromised, adding that its next visit would be more serious if the management failed to honour its commitments.
“We are not here because of Karma Agric alone. We are here to ensure that something of this nature does not happen again, especially here in Oyo state. We will not take it lightly,” he said.
He emphasised that workers should not be treated as inferior to their employers, noting that both parties contributed to the success of a business through their respective resources, skills and experience.
According to him, the relationship between employers and employees should be based on partnership rather than a master-servant arrangement.
Comrade Martin also clarified that the NLC was not seeking to undermine the company’s operations but wanted an environment where management and workers could earn a living and provide for their families without fear of abuse or unsafe working conditions.
He said the congress would submit its demands to the management in writing, stressing that the fulfilment of the commitments made during the meeting would determine its next course of action.
Responding to questions about the alleged reluctance of the establishment to allow trade unions, Comrade Martins said some employers intimidated workers by threatening consequences if they joined unions.
Although he declined to disclose the NLC’s specific plans on the matter, he expressed confidence that four trade unions would begin operating within the establishment in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the company’s Human Resources representative, Akintunde Aknfisoye, speaking on behalf of the management, assured the NLC that the company would take necessary steps to address the issues raised during the meeting.
Aknfisoye, however, denied allegations that expatriates at the company had assaulted workers, insisting that he had never received any report of such an incident involving the company’s staff or drivers.
He described the incident that reportedly triggered the controversy as a disagreement involving a driver who was not an employee of the company and another individual.
According to him, the driver had brought his own container to the company, adding that the incident was different from the account presented by the labour congress.
“There has never been any driver or staff member of this company who has been beaten by the expatriates. I can tell you that with certainty,” he said.
The company representative also denied knowledge of the alleged victimisation of workers, describing the individual at the centre of the controversy as someone who had maintained a friendly relationship with the people involved.
He reiterated the management’s commitment to putting necessary measures in place but did not provide specific details of the steps the company intended to take.
The NLC’s planned follow-up meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for both parties to review the company’s response to the demands, particularly on workers’ welfare, workplace safety and the right of employees to organise under trade unions.
