Lagos shutdown Chinese company after a media’s report

Firstclass newsline gathered that the Lagos State Government has
stopped the operation of a Chinese firm, Hongxing Steel Company,
saying a visit to the firm confirmed reports that its Nigerian workers
were going through hell.
A statement on Thursday by the Head, Public Relations Unit of the
Lagos State Safety Commission, Lola Jagunmolu, said the visitation was
at the instance ofThe media's reports on the recurring incidents of
deaths and injuries in the company.
A source had exclusively reported that two workers died and many
others injured while working in the company.
Workers, who spoke with our correspondent, said their Chinese bosses
maltreated them and fired them at will.
They said people were injured and killed in the company on a regular
basis due to absence of safety standards.
In a follow-up report, Nigerians had called for the shutdown of the firm.
Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, had also promised to
petition the National Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of
Labour to ensure measures were taken against the company.
He added that he would sue for damages for the victims.
The Lagos State Government said after investigating the allegations,
it discovered that the Chinese firm had indeed violated safety
standards, which led to the tragedies.
The statement by the LSSC said it discovered during a fact-finding
tour that the working conditions of the workers were deplorable.
It said the discoveries led to an order for the company to cease operations.
The statement said, "The Lagos State Safety Commission has put a
stop-work order on Hongxing Steel Company Limited to stop operations
for safety violations.
"The stop order was placed when the Director General, LSSC, Fouad Oki,
and his team went on a fact-finding tour following the publication
inThe PUNCHof the death of one Emeka Umoh, a casual worker of the
company.
"Speaking on the company's premises in Amuwo Odofin, where a safety
audit was conducted, Oki described the working conditions of the
workers as deplorable, harsh and totally unacceptable, adding that
there was very little safety measure put in place."
It added that an official of the company, who accepted the stop-work
order, promised that the firm would improve on its standards.
"Uche Eke, the Public Relations Manager of the company, said the seal
order would serve as a wake-up call to the management of the company
in the area of putting proper safety measures in place, while Jim, the
company's Safety Officer, promised to do step up in the area of
safety.
"A member of staff, who preferred to remain anonymous, lamented that
although the working condition was harsh, they subjected themselves to
it because they had no alternative," the statement added.
Firstclassnewsline.net