9-Man Committee To Look Into The Operations Of Inner Galaxy Steel Company Inaugurated
Full investigative Committee to look into the operations of Inner Galaxy Steel Company with a view to ensuring compliance with relevant local and international laws has been constituted.
This directive for the inauguration came from the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, following the review of the report of fact finding Team sent to the Company.
The Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu represented by his Deputy, Sir. Ude Oko Chukwu inaugurated the Committee at his Conference room, Government House, Umuahia.
The Committee which has two weeks to submit its report to the Governor has the following members:
Commissioner for Industry, Chief Uwaoma Olewengwa – (Chairman);
Barr. Sam Hart (Secretary)
Hon Godwin Adiele;
Chinenye Nwaogu; TC Chairman, Ukwa West;
Emmanuel Alozie (BIR);
Chief Stanley Eche;
Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor
Venerable F E Iwela.
The Honourable Commissioner For Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu ,
his Counterpart For Trade and Investment, Dr. Cosmos Ndukwe and
Deputy Chief Of Staff, Office of the Deputy Governor, Sir. Don. Ubani were present during the inauguration.
This was in reaction to stories that made Abians vent their anger against a Chinese Company, Inner Galaxy Group, located at Umuahala Obuzor Asa in Ukwa West Local Government, Abia State after the nefarious activities of the Company was exposed.
Inner Galaxy Group which has over 1000 Nigerian work force has been accused of compelling workers to work under excruciating and dehumanizing conditions.
Workers in the company resume work as early as 6am and closes by 7pm daily and this process runs throughout the week without leave, no off, no excuse and no employment letter according to investigation.
A worker can be employed today and be dismissed that same day for no reason. Every day and minute in the company, could be your last, as a Nigerian worker, a source said as there is no job security.
They will sack workers and chase them away with Army or Police, never to step into the company again.Another former female worker of the company narrated how she left Inner Galaxy after her boss made several forceful attempts to abuse her sexually. “It was a horrible experience. I was always working with so much fear. I had to leave the job for my own life and security. I never knew that Chinese people could be this wicked”, she said. She also talked about other young women who have been abused sexually but can’t speak.
Some of them are so scared to speak because they fear something bad might happen to them.
Another former employee of the company said that the Chinese Directors have boasted on numerous occasions that they can kill anybody and nothing will happen.
According to this former employee of Inner Galaxy, “the Chinese directors usually make this statement whenever they physically assault any worker”. Moreover, this pathetic situation has made Nigerian workers in the company to remain helpless. To make the matter worst, the Nigeria police and army stationed in the company are used in orchestrating this human right abuse.
Many employers narrated the frustration they faced in the Company that made them to voluntarily resign and leave. “Nigerian workers in the Company are mandated to call their Chinese employers master or mistress and failure to do so will attract immediate termination of the person’s job.
CCTV Cameras are all over the premises of the company making all activities of workers to be strictly monitored.
Workers are not permitted to engage in any form of social interaction, no Unions. They can’t protest or make demands from the company.
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Governor Ikpeazu , however , charged the Committee to go into the Company and find out if issues raised against them about abuse and infringement on the rights of Abians and Nigerian workers through exploitation, causualisation of workers, physical assault, sexual abuse of female workers, working more than the usual working hours, unconducieve working environment and evasion of taxes were true.
