Posted by By Emma Amaize & Emma Arubi on
A staff of the Delta Steel Company (DSC), Ovwian-Aladja in Delta State, Mr. Gabriel Onyenike collapsed and died in the company, about a fortnight ago, while another worker who also fainted was rushed to the company's clinic for medical attention.
WARRI - A staff of the Delta Steel Company (DSC), Ovwian-Aladja in Delta State, Mr. Gabriel Onyenike collapsed and died in the company, about a fortnight ago, while another worker who also fainted was rushed to the company's clinic for medical attention.
Unfortunately, as the family of the late Onyenike was mourning him, his disengagement letter from the company came about 72 hours later throwing the whole family into disarray.
The Steel Company's General Manager (Communications and Development), Mr. Aloysius Lobo who confirmed the death of Mr. Onyenike to Vanguard, yesterday, however, stated that a wrong impression was being created that the company was responsible for the man's death.
He said that the company has a vibrant workers' union that would not spare the management if there was any untoward act on its part and urged Vanguard to verify the true position.
Reports available to Vanguard indicated that the deceased who worked with the engineering crew in the "con cast" shop allegedly died of hunger, fear of job insecurity and frustration occasioned by the alleged non-payment of staff salary for months.
There is also discontent over plans by the company to evict all the occupants of the company's housing estate. Some of the occupants purportedly used their money to complete the structures and paid rent to the company when its fortunes were down.
Chairman of the tenants of the estate, Mr. Oghene-Udi Armstrong appealed to the Federal Government to prevail on the management of the steel company to allow them live in the houses which majority of them allegedly completed by themselves.
However, a representative of Dan Odiete and Co, a firm of surveyors, estate valuers and consultants, Mr. Christopher Okoro told Vanguard that his company had been mandated to take possession of the estate for DSC.
"We are only carrying out the instruction of our client and all the tenants have been variously served quit notices of six months as required by the law", he said.