The Public Complaints Commission has recommended police investigation into reports of workers’ deaths in a Lagos-based Chinese company, Hongxing Steel Limited.
The PCC’s Federal Commissioner, Mr. Funso Olukoga, also called for the immediate shut down of the company to allow unhindered police investigation.
Olusoga said contrary to media report that the company had been shut down, it was indeed still in operation as of Friday, October 2, 2015.
While addressing the press on Friday, he said the recommendations followed an independent investigation conducted by PCC into the activities of Hongxing.
He said the investigation was informed by The Punch’s report of September 28, 2015, which detailed alleged maltreatment of Nigerian workers, with the avoidable death of one Obinna Eze in Hongxing.
The commissioner, who said the PCC was mandated under Section 5(3) of the PCC Act Cap P37, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, to act on such a report, said it had found out that Hongxing “lacked appropriate protective gadgets for its employees.”
He also said the company neither had any emergency response plan nor any health and safety and environmental manual.
He thus recommended for the Lagos State Safety Commission to enforce the shut down of Hongxing to pave the way for thorough investigations of maltreatment and reported workers’ death with a view to possible criminal prosecution.
Olukoga addressed the press on Friday alongside Simeso Amachree of the Trade Union Congress; and Kasimu Kadiri, Felix Uche and Obukese Orere of the Nigerian Labour Congress.
He said, “The company must invite former and serving employees who were injured in the course of duty for negotiation on possible compensation.
“Such step should be taken with operatives of either the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity or the Public Complaints Commission or the TUC and NLC as witnesses.
“The company must begin to document employment at its factory, factoring into it compliance with workers’ basic rights.”
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