Nigeria’s unemployment rate stood at 33.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020. The number has come down to 4.1 percent due to a change in methodology by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), but many Nigerians are still jobless.
Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, acknowledged this reality on August 29, 2023, saying, “Per capita has fallen steadily, inflation is at 24 percent, and unemployment is high. You know they are rebasing how it’s calculated. Either way, it is high and youth unemployment is even unacceptably high. These are the key metrics that we have met.”
As a result, many Nigerians are finding solace in Chinese firms. Some work as casual workers while others play administrative roles.
However, a number of them are subjected to inhumane treatments, with some getting disabled as a result of accidents that happen while on duty. A few who sustained accidents while on duty have been left to their fate.
On a Monday morning in July, Simeon Aju, who sustained a leg injury while working for a Chinese firm named Dolphin Iron & Steel Limited, located in Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (Ogun Free Trade Zone) in the Papalanto area of Ogun State, was seen preparing to go to his farm to harvest corns.
He had become physically challenged due to an injury sustained while working at the Chinese firm. Aju had tried other jobs, including working as a bus conductor, but he couldn’t stay in them due to his disability.
An iron had fallen on his left leg in 2018 while working at the Chinese company. This injury caused him so much pain until he left the company in July 2018. His salary was N30,000 and he was not compensated by the Chinese firm after sustaining the injury, he said.
He left the job in late 2018 due to poor pay and lack of empathy by the company, according to him. Since he left the job, he has never become very productive due to the injury.
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Aju said,” After the injury I sustained, I traveled to Abuja to become a bus conductor, but I was later relieved of the job because my leg was always affecting the job and you know a bus conductor needs to be fast.
“At the Chinese company, there was no adequate plan for workers’ health. They would expect you to be productive, but I could not be productive when I was not stable. I had to leave,” he added.
The National Policy on Occupational Safety and Health of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a document detailing the responsibilities of employers and employees, has made it mandatory for employers of labour to make protective facilities available for their workers, but the Chinese company did not do so, he claimed.
More work than pay
A former supervisor at Dolphin Iron and Steel Limited, Mr. Alake Damilare, a father of three, said he spent six years at the company but his monthly salary didn’t improve. Instead, there were deductions from his salary, which affected him in performing his role as head of his family.
“I started working at Dolphin in 2014. From there, I became a supervisor in 2018, but they did not increase my salary from the N30,000 I was receiving. I lodged complaints to the management but nothing was done. Being a family man that has three(3) children, I couldn’t meet up with my responsibilities. That was a major challenge for me. I left in 2020 when I noticed the company was having issues.”
He added, “The working conditions are terrible. You can’t even tell them what you want. It is either you accept their offers, or you leave their company.”
Ill- treatment of casual workers
Many workers who spoke with this reporter said they were employed on casual contracts. This implies that they were not entitled to any other benefit apart from their wages, which ranged between N10,000 to N12,000. This is far less than N30,000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Sunday Ganiu, a native of Sagamu who worked in Adnan’s Utensils Department at Ogun Free Trade Zone didn’t wait to collect his salary before leaving due to what he claimed was maltreatment.
He said, “I got the job through someone I know. I was told I was going to work under the utensils department but all of a sudden, they started giving me different responsibilities that didn’t have to do with the department.
“I told my supervisor about it but he did nothing. I was made to wash trucks, carry heavy equipment with threats. I sleep outside a nearby store irrespective of the weather. They didn’t care about us; what they wanted was that the job must be done, else you won’t get paid.
“I know nothing comes easy, but look at my body, there are different marks on it due to different injuries. They assume you should know everything without providing you with needed equipment and it’s becoming unbearable. That’s why I had to leave.”
Section 5.3 (III) of the National Policy on Occupational Safety and Health states that employers are to “provide at no cost to the worker, occupational health protection and personal protective clothing and equipment, which are appropriate for the nature of the job.”
However, workers said the company was only observing the provision of the policy in the breach.
Charles Ogunlana (not real name) said he currently works as a truck driver under the Ogun Free Trade Zone. He said he joined in 2021 and was offered a driving job at the free trade zone which he accepted. He earns N40,000 monthly.
“I don’t have a choice than to work here. My wife has left me, and I need to take care of myself and my children. The little I get here helps a little. At least it’s better than being Idle. I’m being paid N40,000 at the end of the month.”
No provision for women
A current staff member of Discovery Company, one of the Chinese firms within the free trade zone, Jane Hanifat (not real name), told Dataphyte her problem was fatigue due to overwork.
According to her, she worked everyday – even during her menstrual cycle – and could not lay complaints to her supervisor, as doing so would result in salary reduction.
“There are no special provisions for women. We come to work during our menstrual periods. Even in pain, we still come to work because if we don’t, they will deduct our money.
“At times, if you tell your supervisors that you won’t be coming to work, they’ll permit you but it must not exceed a day, else you won’t be paid,” she added.
Joshua Aribisala (not real name) currently works as a security officer within the free zone.
According to him, “I work as a security officer here. I come to work everyday depending on the roaster, which determines my duty time. We have no choice because it is what we signed up for. I can’t quit because I have no option, and one just needs to abide by their rules.”
Meeting a target
Ken Anumba (not real name), a university graduate, said he got the job due to his inability to secure employment since he left school five years ago. He said he was driven into working for a Chinese firm at the free trade zone by joblessness and hunger, noting that much of the treatment given to him was harsh.
“With the level of unemployment rate in the country, many people come here to look for jobs. Early morning in front of the company, you will see many people queuing up to get jobs. If there were better opportunities, people wouldn’t come here to get jobs. The job here is not easy, and it is based on target.
“I am educated, but I need to feed my family. That’s why I came to Ogun State from Anambra State. The Chinese people are treating us based on their perception of what is happening in the country. Despite the ill-treatment, everyone is always coming to get jobs here. To feed one’s family these days is not easy, but because we have no alternative we just have to endure. Most of us in the company are learned, but it’s because we don’t have choices.”
Firms fail to react
Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ) is backed by China and has about 30 factories. Investment is above $2 billion. Ordinarily, this is a plus for Nigeria’s drive for foreign investments but workers’ rights are never issues that can be toyed with globally.
Efforts made to get Dolphin Iron & Steel Limited’s management to react to these allegations proved futile as they refused to speak when contacted.
Efforts were also made to contact Ogun Free Trade Zone, which manages all the firms mentioned in this story.
Dataphyte called and sent a message to Ogun Free Trade Zone. The receiver promised to reach out to the firms. However, the respondent later confirmed that he had reached out to the management of the firms but they said it wasn’t necessary to react to the allegations.
“This is a business number but I have reached out to the management. I showed them your text but they said it wasn’t necessary to respond.”
Expert, labour union respond
Samuel Atiku, a public policy expert, said Nigeria had a lot of rules and regulations guiding the country, stating that what was missing was implementation.
“In terms of the legal framework that protects workers in Nigeria, we do have a lot of rules. The biggest is the Nigerian constitution. The Nigerian constitution is grounded. We also have a labour act that goes into details to specify what workers need to do. We have the trade union act that spells out the rights to actually form unions and use them for collective bargaining
“Where the problem comes is in lack of awareness. Most Nigerian workers are not aware of the existing laws, and due to this their rights are being abused.
“The unemployment rate, especially among young people in Nigeria, has led to desperation, where people look for openings to occupy. The labour and trade unions must be the voice of the voiceless. They need to speak up when rights are being trampled upon.”
“The National Orientation Agency and the civil society need to speak out on these rights for the people to be aware of them when they’re being trampled upon. The judicial system that sees to workers’ rights should be established and be effective. Above all, we need to promote and encourage an inclusive work culture in our society,” he added.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman in Ogun State, Com. Hammed Benco, said workers at the Chinese firms weren’t organised, noting that they needed to report to the NLC before actions could be taken. He said the labour union had no idea of what they were going through.
“The union is not responsible to them directly. They belong to the construction union, and we cannot know their pains except complaints are lodged.
“They need to organise themselves. It is when they’re organised that the union will send a letter to the NLC, then we can act on it.”
“I have no idea that they’re being maltreated. If there are pieces of evidence of being enslaved, they should reach out to the appropriate quarters, and we shall act on their request because one of our main responsibilities is to protect our members’ rights.”
Editor’s Note: Names and photographs of current staff members of the named Chinese companies were either changed or removed to protect them.