Lip service. That's what angry Globacom workers say the communication giant paid them after failed promises to review and raise their salaries over the years.
Global System of Mobile Telecommunication (GSM), a technology that was introduced into Nigeria at the turn of the 21st century, with its attendant commercial viability and propensity for job creation has been widely acknowledged as probably the best thing to happen to Nigeria in the last 13 years.
However, all the glitz and glamour that characterize the lifestyle of the privileged staff within the swishy confines of companies in Nigeria’s telecommunication industry may be a façade after all, as latest discovery by Per Second News suggests that Globacom Nigeria Limited, one of the major operators in the GSM business has been running a labour camp.
Seun Atosime (real name withheld), a graduate of Mass Communication from the Delta State University, had for five years been in search of a blue collar job until late 2011 when fortune smiled on him courtesy of a contractor who has a business relationship with Globacom Nigeria Limited. Through the contractor, Atosime was employed by Globacom as a Customer Service Agent.
Four years into the job, Atosime whose monthly pay salary was hardly enough to enable him meet his domestic responsibilities and assistance to retinue of dependents, decided to seek a better paying job elsewhere. He actually got what he wanted, but what he thought was going to be a smooth transition from one job to another turned out to be a nightmare as the management of Globacom insisted he would have to remain with the company for two more years or buy out the extra year to facilitate his exit, coupled with the fact that his salary has not been increased over the years.
Atosime’s account is just one of the numerous similar incidents of alleged manipulation and exploitation of unsuspecting members of staff by Globacom, a company owned by Dr. Mike Adenuga, one of Nigeria’s richest men who also have big stakes in banking and oil and gas.
Some workers of the communication outfit in a chat with Per Second News last week voiced their grievances over the company’s refusal to implement a pay raise in their contract.
A source at the Mike Adenuga Towers revealed that recently, a staff in the technical services department circulated a memo to all staff voicing his frustration for being in the same salary scale for four years without any review. The aggrieved employee questioned why a company like Globacom lacks a KPI ( Key Performance Indicator) scale, after which he tendered his resignation publicly.
Information pieced together by Per Second News indicate that in May 2015, a memo signed by Mr Femi Kolawole, head of human resources stated that the review board of Globacom had constituted a committee to coordinate annual employee appraisal exercise with the mandate to make recommendations for promotions,incentives, salary/prequisites increment and other compensation considered appropriate.
A follow-up memo dated June 19th 2015 signed by Adewale Sangowawa, then Executive Director human resources revealed that increment for Nigeria staff of Globacom will take effect on July 1st 2015.
These correspondences ignited sparks of light and boosted the morale of employees.
The joy was short-lived as their hope was dashed in July 2015 when an unsigned memo, without the usual Globacom letterhead was circulated instructing staff to contact a certain Jumoke Aduwo (08079659037) and Bunmi Akinyinka (08079659038) to confirm their new salaries.
According to a staff who spoke under the condition of anonymity, “ the memo stated- ‘Further to earlier circular to all staff on above subject, we are pleased to announce that the board has approved promotions, salary increment together with a generous retention scheme for staff to take effect immediately’.
“We were curious as no Globacom staff was issued a promotion/salary increment letter, the contact persons listed in the memo were obviously staffs of Globacom but there staff lines were not used and most obvious was the fact that the memo was not signed, and the mobile numbers were not Globacom staffs numbers.”
The staff revealed that promotion in Globacom is subject to network and not performance based as a certain cabal within the company who have the ears of the chairman dispense favours to their loyalists and friends.
In 2014, Per Second News in a report cast in properly researched investigative reporting style, chronicled the various episodes of forced labour, voodoo employment contract bond, bullying and harassment of employees by Globacom Management under the watch of Chief Mike Adenuga and his crew of daughters, Abimbola and Bella.
Investigations by Per Second News at that time reveal that Globacom through illegal tactics force employees to sign bonds in order to keep their jobs. Nearly 60 percent of its staffers, it was gathered, have fallen victim to “forced labour”, trapped in jobs which they were coerced or deceived to take and from which they cannot leave easily.
Globacom Communications using phony service provider called ‘Contact Center Services Limited,’ recruited employees and subjected them to modern day slavery.
It is widely acknowledged that Globacom has long relied on forced labour, using another company known as, ‘Global Manpower,’ to perpetrate their illegal recruitment drive.
According to Jane Oladapo not real name, “I was employed in late 2006 by Contact Center Services Limited a Globacom subsidiary; four years later I was asked to sign a document with another company called Global Manpower alongside a bond”. “I was not given a copy of the bond, neither was I informed or advised of the content”.
“I was asked to sign it to guarantee my job in the presence of a senior official of Globacom, and my cluster manager, who gave me a minute to sign it and hand back to him”.
“In November 2012, I got an offer of employment from an insurance firm, I wrote an official letter of resignation with enough notice time,” I was however shock when I was informed that I will have to pay the sum of N10 million Naira for me to leave”.
Jane’s salary at that time was less than N80,000.
Per Second News obtained a letter written by Globacom, and signed by one Adewale Sangowawa, executive director, requesting for the sum of N10 million from Oladapo.
The letter stated that, “Please recall that it was clearly stated in clause 5 of the agreement part of the bond as follows, In the event that the employee disengages from the services of Glo at any time before the expiry of the bond, the employee hereby agrees to pay Contact Center Services Limited, CCSL on behalf of Globacom the sum of =N=10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira)”.
A preponderant of staff in the same predicament as Oladapo claimed they did not know that they had signed a bond contract until they were about to quit Globacom.
Mr. Sangowawa the Executive Director Human Resources of Globacom however wrote another letter to Oladapo early last year informing her of where to make the payment.
According to him, “You are to write a cheque to pay the above stated sum of N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) in full amount in favour of Glo Mobile Limited and send to the Human Resources Department. In the alternative, pay to Account Number 2576747778111 at any Sterling Bank branch and thereafter send the teller evidencing the payment to the same Human Resources Department”.
Investigations so far carried out reveal that most staff affected are most vulnerable and least protected, perpetuating a vicious cycle of poverty and dependency giving them no room to resist Globacom’s coercion at work.
Per Second News gathered that Globacom’s unscrupulous recruiting process has enabled them profit at the employees’ exploitation.
This media organization has obtained credible evidence of Globacom officials’ harassing employees who tried to report or discuss the issue which is still attracting huge response, public scrutiny and international labour attention and pressure on the communication outfit.
By Victoria Ayuwei
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