By Caje M
The leaderships of the Nigeria Union of Mine Workers (NUMW) and Heavy Equipment Operator section (Caterpillar Coordinator) have appealed to the Federal Government and other relevant agencies to come to their rescue to urgently over eleven mine workers allegedly abandoned by their employer in Central Africa Republic.
President of the Nigeria Union of Mine Workers (NUMW), Comrade Hamza Muhammad and National Coordinator of Heavy Equipment Operator section (caterpillar coordinator), Comrade James Danjuma made the appeal in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Awka, Anambra state.
Both bodies called on the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Dr. Dele Alake, and other relevant federal government agencies including the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Security agencies and Nigerians in Diaspora Commission to rescue the eleven Nigerian mine workers allegedly abandoned in Central Africa by a mining company.
The Chairman of the NUMW, Anambra State chapter, Comrade Kelvin Onyah lamented the plight of the workers, saying that the urgent and timely rescue of the alleged abandoned workers would save them from any danger to their health and welfare.
The names of the alleged abandoned workers were given as Stephen Abel Otidi, Alih Joel, Samuel Ojochenemi, Ajosi Julius, Yusuf Bameyi, Akubo Oluwa Sevu, Collins Odeh, Peter Adewale, Yekini Anifowose, Ritimi Kupohuyi and Igorigo Freeborn.
The eleven mine workers were said to be under the employ of a company in Nigeria but were taken to the Central Africa Republic for mining activities for over eleven months but were later abandoned in that country.
It was alleged that the management staff who took them to the area abandoned the workers.
The President of the NUMW, Comrade Hamza Muhammad and National Coordinator of Heavy Equipment Operator section (caterpillar coordinator), Comrade James Danjuma, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Dr. Dele Alake, and others are called upon to urgently take decisive action towards rescuing the workers before it becomes late considering the number of months they have been in the country without due attention.
The NUMW leadership further alleged that the workers’ passports and documents were seized by the management staff of the expertriate company and they (workers) are in dire need of repatriation.
They further called for stiff disciplinary action against the mining company to serve as deterrent to others.
“We call for immediate action to rescue these workers and take disciplinary action against the company to serve as a deterrent to others,” the groups said.
Comrade James Danjuma, National coordinator of Heavy Equipment Operators section popularly known as Caterpillar operators warned all his members to follow due process before traveling abroad to work.
“We also want our operators to connect with the right union (Heavy equipment operator section of Nigeria Union of Mine Workers) both outside country in order to safeguard their wellbeing,” he said.
Comrade Kelvin Onyah who narrated the plight of the workers to our Correspondent in a telephone interview explained that the eleven workers have been allegedly left in Central Africa Republic without food, water and shelter even as management of the company that took them to the country left them without payment of their monthly salaries.
He said: “The workers are helpless and want to come back to Nigeria. They also want the company to pay them their salaries as well as all their entitlements. They also want the company to give them back their passports which they say are the main reasons the workers are seeking for public attention,” he added.
