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How Casual Staff Of Premier Feedmill Was Crushed To Death By The Company Forklift….+ Group Demand Compensation For Victim’s Family

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The Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR) in Oyo State has condemned the ‘avoidable’ death of one Nurudeen Abdusalam, a casual worker of Premier Feedmil, a subsidiary of Eagle Flour Mills located at Toll Gate area, Oyo State.

The deceased was said to have died during an accident at the factory.

CDWR coordinator, Comrade Bamigboye Abiodun, in a statement said the death of Nurudeen is an “urgent call on the Oyo State’s leadership of Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress to come up with a holistic programme of action to commence a serious campaign against casualisation and other indecent labour practices in private companies across the state.”

According to him, Premier Feedmil, like many other companies in the state, is notorious for various forms of indecent labour practices and habitual violation of several provisions in the Nigeria Labour Act.

For instance, most of its workforce were recruited under an employment condition that is described as outsourcing or contract employment, he added.

The statement read, “The Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights, CDWR, Oyo State Chapter decries the tragic death of one Mr Nurudeen Abdusalam, at Premier Feedmil, a subsidiary of Eagle Flour Mills located at Toll Gate area, along lagos-ibadan expressway, Ibadan, Oyo State. We equally express our condolences to the family of the deceased and demand an adequate compensation for them.

“The late Nurudeen Abdusalam, popularly called Alfa in the company, was a casual worker recruited and used by the company as an operator of a fork lift machine, in the raw materials department and was reportedly crushed by the same fork lift truck in the course of its operation while on night shift, early hour on Tuesday, 19th of April, 2022.

“The fact that the late Nurudeen was a casual worker in the company definitely suggests that the cause of his death couldn’t have been unconnected with the poor and slavery working condition suffered by mass of the workers in the company particularly those on contract employment under a fraudulent policy of outsourcing.

“Premier Feedmil, like many other companies such as Sumal Foods Ltd, Zartech limited, Gx foods limited, Extreme manufacturing Nigeria limited, Eagle Flour Mills, BAT among others in the state, is notorious for various forms of indecent labour practices and habitual violation of several provision in the Nigeria Labour Act. For instance, most of its workforce were recruited under an employment condition that is described as outsourcing or contract employment.

“Outsourcing is a dishonest strategy adopted by big businesses to circumvent labour laws. In practice it is not anyway different from casualisation which is the condition where workers lack regular status of employment and job security. Under this condition, workers are deprived of their right to minimum wage, pension and trade union through which they can fight for better pay and decent conditions

“The working conditions of the outsourcing/contract workers in Premier feedmil are so poor as they earn between N800 and N925 daily. In clear violation of section 13(3) of the Labour Act; the contract workers are often forced to work on a daily basis between 9 and 12 hours without adequate working and safety gadgets while the workloads are regularly increased in what is termed as “Firing” without an additional pay.

“Behind all of these poor working conditions including the anti-labour practice of casualisation itself is the greed for the maximisation of profit. It is this kind of unfortunate and unending chase for profit that simply explains why the management of the Premier Feedmil used the poor late Nurudeen, who had no expertise and certified training, as a forklift truck operator, instead of employing a trained and qualified machine operator.

“Again the report that the late worker was actually alone when the incident occurred and that the company had to depend on the doctor and ambulance from a nearby company largely explained why he could not be rescued immediately. This further exposes the depth of the company’s indecent labour practice which means that the poor worker was operating the said machine without being placed under the supervision of any expert

“We, therefore, demand an independent panel of enquiry that will comprise NLC, TUC, civil society organisations and professional bodies like NMA, NUJ and NBA for an open and transparent investigation into the cause of the unfortunate incident as well as the working conditions in the company

“More importantly, the death of Nurudeen is an urgent call on the Oyo State’s leadership of NLC and TUC to come up with a holistic programme of action to commence a serious campaign against casualisation and other indecent labour practices in private companies across the state.

“We equally hold that such a campaign must include a demand for immediate amendment of electoral act which failed to adequately address the question of casualisation and be linked to a demand for dropping of all trumped-up criminal and civil charges currently levelled against Comrade Abiodun Bamigboye, known as Abbey Trotsky, the Acting National Chairperson of SPN, over solidarity actions against casualisation and indecent labour practices in SUMAL FOOD LIMITED, Ibadan and by extension other companies like GX FOOD LIMITED in the state.”

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Nollywood, social media, others fueling get-rich-quick syndrome — First Lady

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The wife of President Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday, said skewed messages projected by some movies, social media and religious organisations are fueling the get-rich-quick syndrome which is also driving Nigeria’s high rate of trafficking in persons.

Tinubu also pledged her support to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in the agency’s ongoing fight against human trafficking.

She stated this when the Director-General of the agency, Binta Bello, led the top management of NAPTIP to her office at the State House, Abuja.

Senior Special Assistant to the First Lady on Media, Busola Kukoyi, revealed this in a statement signed on Friday titled ‘First Lady reiterates call for re-orientation for hard work and patience.’

The First Lady, who was briefed on the activities of the Agency, particularly the recent raid on a baby factory in Abuja, where 19 pregnant young girls were rescued, called on youths to stop making themselves easy targets for traffickers and other criminally minded people by embracing the virtues of patience and hard work.

She said, “The get rich quick syndrome is not helping matters. Even our religious institutions are doing prosperity preaching and even the bible talks about work. Social media is also not helping. Nollywood as well.

She pledged her support to the agency, starting with interfacing with wives of State Governors to assist in enhancing awareness and advocacy about its activities.

Earlier, the Director General of the Agency solicited the First Lady’s support for NAPTIP’s renewed campaign against human trafficking and GBV.

Bello explained that it is top of the agenda of the agency, as the trend of trafficking is getting alarming.

“Trafficking in persons is the second largest transnational organised crime in the world after drug trafficking.

“It is also a huge menace in Nigeria and it requires the buy-in and active engagement of critical stakeholders to fight it,” she stated.

She pointed out that despite the agency’s string of successes including the recent rescue of 21 young victims taken from Niger State, en route Republic of Niger, gaps in resources mobilisation and legal frameworks are some of the challenges confronting the operations of the agency.

She highlighted skills acquisition, awareness advocacy, provision of adequate shelter and safe homes, and legislative and policy support as some of the areas of intervention needed from the First Lady.

The First Lady also gave an audience to the new national executives of the National Council for Women Societies of Nigeria, led by its new National President, Princess Edna Azura.

The delegation was in her office to thank her for her motherly support to the council, especially after the passing of its immediate past National President, Lami Lau.

While commending them for working together in unity, the First Lady encouraged the council to do more for their members by taking advantage of the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI programs at the subnational levels.

Tinubu reiterated her commitment to building better families through the Renewed Hope initiative.

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Ex-minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye joins Nollywood

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Former Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye has joined the Nigerian movie industry, Nollywood.

Kennedy joined Nollywood a few months after being sacked by President Bola Tinubu.

SOCIETY REPORTERS reports that Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye was appointed as minister in August 2023, and removed alongside four others in a cabinet reshuffle on October 23, 2024.

The 51-year-old politician has now shifted her focus to filmmaking barely four months after her removal from the cabinet.

Announcing her acting career on her X handle, the former minister shared a video of her latest project.

Kennedy who is also a lawyer and entrepreneur, joined the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2015 and emerged the party’s first female presidential aspirant in 2023, before ultimately withdrawing to support Tinubu.

 

 

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Alleged N1.3bn Fraud: Police Withdraw Charge against Obanikoro, Adegbenro and Others…

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The Nigeria Police Force has withdrawn the alleged fraud charge against Mr. Gbolahan Obanikoro, the son of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and four others, over alleged N1.3 billion fraud involving Access Bank.

 

Gbolahan alongside, Adejare Adegbenro; Balmoral International Limited; M.O.B. Integrated Limited; and DDSS International Company Limited were billed for arraignment before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos on February 27.

 

However, the police in a Notice of Withdrawal brought under Section 108(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, has informed the court of its desire to withdraw the charge against the defendants.

The document dated February 4, and signed by a Chief Superintendent of Police, J. I. Enang read in part: “Take notice that the prosecution hereby withdraws the above mentioned charge against the defendants herein.

 

 

However, no reason was given for the withdrawal of the charge.

 

In the suit marked: FHC/L/902c/2024, the defendants were accused of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretences, and involvement in a N1,356,057,330.43 fraud.

 

The Inspector General of Police, had through the Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) in Ikoyi, Lagos, accused all the defendants of conspiring between May and September 2013 to fraudulently obtain the sum of N1,356,057,330.43 from Access Bank Plc (formerly Diamond Bank).

 

 

They allegedly misrepresented themselves to the bank’s staff and officers, claiming that they were involved in the business of importing cars from Dubai for sale in Nigeria and that the money was needed to finance the importation of a set of brand-new cars for resale.

 

 

The defendants were also accused of converting, transferring, retaining, or taking possession of the funds, knowing or having reason to know that such funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.

 

Additionally, they were alleged to have unlawfully converted the sum of N1 billion belonging to the bank for personal use.

 

When the matter came up last month, the prosecutor, M.Y. Bello informed the court that the matter was scheduled for the arraignment of all defendants.

 

However, he requested a new date to allow all the defendants to appear in court and take their pleas.

 

 

Counsel for the 4th defendant, Joshua Abel, told the court that most of the defendants, who were directors were not in the country, adding that only the companies named in the charge had been served with the charge sheet.

 

He, however, assured the court that all defendants would be present at the next adjourned date to take their pleas.

 

In light of the submissions, Justice Lewis-Allagoa adjourned the matter to February 27 for the arraignment of all the defendants.

 

Meanwhile, there were indications that the hearing for the case to be struck out might hold tomorrow, Friday.

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