At least nine former employees of Integrated Logistic Services (INTELS) Nigeria Limited have died while awaiting the payment of their terminal and other benefits, highlighting a protracted labor dispute that continues to affect hundreds of workers.
Investigations reveal that many other ex-staff are battling critical health conditions, unable to afford medical care due to financial hardship. Despite repeated appeals from affected workers and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), INTELS has yet to address the issue.
A Growing Humanitarian Crisis
The dispute involves over 624 employees who were disengaged between 2020 and 2021 during a redundancy exercise conducted by INTELS. The affected workers, seconded to Associated Maritime Services (AMS) Limited, were terminated without receiving their entitlements.
The deceased workers include Rhoda Oberueuria, Austine Okunsaye, Friday Ikwut, and others. Meanwhile, workers like Iyara Best Oghenewede and Gogo Dagogo Ngeribara remain in dire health conditions, unable to access the funds needed for treatment.
Long Road to Justice
The affected employees were laid off during redundancy exercises held between November 2020 and June 2021. Following the terminations, INTELS refused to pay terminal benefits, prompting MWUN to escalate the matter to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
After failed reconciliation attempts, the dispute was referred to the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP). In September 2021, the IAP ruled that INTELS and AMS must pay all entitlements. However, INTELS challenged the ruling at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN).
The NICN upheld the IAP’s ruling and directed INTELS to negotiate with MWUN to determine the final payment structure. Despite this, INTELS sought leave to appeal the judgment. The Appeal Court has twice rejected their motions, yet INTELS has avoided meaningful negotiations with MWUN.
Union Pleads for Urgent Action
The continued delay has drawn condemnation from labor advocates and union leaders. MWUN has expressed alarm over the increasing number of deaths and worsening conditions among affected workers.
In a letter dated November 20, 2024, MWUN Secretary General Felix Akingboye proposed December 6, 2024, as a date for negotiations to resolve the impasse. The union stressed the urgency of addressing the workers’ plight and urged INTELS to honor its obligations.
Implications for Corporate Accountability
This unresolved dispute underscores critical issues around labor practices, corporate accountability, and workers’ rights in Nigeria’s logistics and maritime sectors. INTELS, a major player in Nigeria’s oil and gas logistics, faces mounting criticism over its handling of the matter.
For the affected workers and their families, the stakes are devastatingly high, with many enduring untold hardship. Stakeholders are urging INTELS to act decisively, pay the owed benefits, and bring relief to those affected.