Some disengaged staffers of the British America Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) Ibadan have accused the company of engaging in anti-labour practices in their disengagement process.

They alleged that the company failed in its responsibility to protect workers’ health and the work environment against all forms of operational hazards.

They called on the Federal Government to immediately investigate anti-labour practices and hazardous working conditions workers in the Tobacco industry are subjected to.
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Assistant Secretary of the National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), BATN branch, Winston Ofalue, said in Lagos that it was unfortunate that after working for the Company for long, management did not value the lives of their employees.

He explained that many of the employees are developing different serious ailments as a result of exposure to risky production procedures.

He added: “We have made series of complaints to management especially the Human Resource personnel on challenging health conditions of members who are down health-wise with different life threatening serious health conditions, but the company has refused to look into such matters. All that the company was concerned about is the efficiency of its business.”

He hinted that NUFBTE has written the company, the Minister of Labour and Employment and have got no response so far.Ofalue who was one of the seven disengaged staff since May 2016, battling with health conditions, said: “To the company, they said they have disengaged me but as an executive of the union, I cannot be disengaged without the national union had been notified. I was given the letter of disengagement but I wasn’t compensated due to my health issues.”

In a response to an electronic mail to the Human Resource Director of BAT West America, Mr. Tosin Akinyemi, he said he is presently not in the country and that he would react to the matter when he comes back.

Speaking on the issue, the Co-coordinator, Nigerian Tobacco Control Research Group, Dr. Akin Adebiyi said the exclusive responsibility of the employers is that they must provide a safe work environment for workers.

He said government must begin to beam its searchlight on the Tobacco industry and not to treat the industry as a sacred cow, pointing out that there was the need to enforce the regulatory mechanisms that are already in place.

The Deputy Executive Director, Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria, a not for profit organization, Akinbode Oluwafemi called for more emphasis by the Federal Government on protecting the health of staff of Tobacco Industry.