Following the discovery of serious breaches of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyechocho, on Monday, ordered the immediate sealing of two Ogun State factories.
Along the busy industrial corridor between Ikorodu and Sambu, True Metals Nigeria Limited and Phoenix Steel Mills Limited are both located.
Onyejeocha, who was joined by the Director of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), Florence Owie, and OSH officials from the states of Lagos and Ogun, made it clear that the Renewed Hope Agenda will not tolerate employers who purposely endanger Nigerian workers.
A Dehumanizing Environment with a Focus on True Metals
The Minister expressed deep concern about the risky and “dehumanizing” conditions at the battery recycling facility at True Metals Nigeria Limited. She specifically noted:
* Unprotected and ongoing lead emissions exposure.
* Clearly inadequate sanitation facilities.
* The company hasn’t been required to perform safety automation despite receiving numerous verbal warnings in the past.
According to Onyejeocha, “you are not putting our people’s lives in danger” because “you are giving them jobs.”
“We cannot make up our minds that we are killing our people.” Life is not exchanged for money. Every Nigerian deserves a welcoming, secure workplace.
She mandated that the factory be immediately sealed until all OSH regulations are in full force and effect.
Also read: Kwara’s Two Factories Are Wrecked By Fire.
Inaccessible and Non-Compliant Phoenix Steel Mills
The Minister and her team discovered the impassable and unsafe internal access roads at Phoenix Steel Mills Limited before the inspection could even begin. Another violation of the Factories Act was the clear instances of stagnant water and a complete lack of adequate drainage.
We can only imagine what is inside if the factory’s internal roads are unpassable for people, she said. According to the statement, “These circumstances demonstrate a total disregard for both basic safety standards and the workers.”
After that, the facility was sealed in order to complete necessary remediation and upcoming compliance checks.
The Minister’s Warning: “That Era Is Over.”
The Minister emailed factory owners a sharp warning after the exercise to journalists.
Nigerians are treated as though they are not people in many factories, according to the report. You train and put them in danger by paying them $3, 000 or $4, 000 per day. She claimed that the era is over.
Onyejeocha stated that enforcement would be thorough and persistent. They won’t go to sleep, we promise.
“We will keep conducting inspections, and we will seal your factory if necessary.” You attract more investment if you make the right decision. You won’t be able to operate if you don’t.
She did this by reiterating that OSH standards are not legally binding and that she should keep them in mind.
There are rules for occupational safety and health. Every worker needs to be safeguarded. The minister said it’s impossible to blame bad economic conditions on someone for endangering lives.
Source: Channels TV
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