About eight workers of construction giant, Julius Berger who protested against the inhumane treatment of the company at one of its construction sites in Port Harcourt have been languishing in prison weeks after.
This is as the three workers of Julius Berger construction company who were declared wanted by Rivers State Government after protesting horrible treatment by the company last week have presented themselves for investigation.
On August 17, over 50 casual workers of the construction giant working at different flyover sites in Port Harcourt protested the poor salaries and other welfare paid them by the company.
The workers who assembled at the Waterlines Junction in Port Harcourt from where they downed tools and began their protest said that despite the huge payment the company received from the state government, it has continued to pay them peanuts while they were over-laboured.
Displaying placards bearing different inscriptions, the workers called on the state government to disengage the company for its refusal to address their mounting concerns.
Some of them were arrested. Finding by Standard Observers showed that more than eight of them are still languishing in prison.
Recall that the Rivers State Government in a statement by the Special Assistant to Governor NYESOM WIKE on Media, KELVIN EBIRI, after another protest by some workers of the construction company last week declared GIFT ELENWO, CHIBOSO GLORY-EJEKU and TAMBARI GODWIN-GBARA wanted for alleged criminal activities and harassment of contractors, particularly Julius Berger in the State.
But one of the persons declared wanted by the governor, GIFT ELENWO who was at the Government House Gate in the company of the representative of Human Rights Activists and Civil Society Organizations to submit themselves, said they were not criminals but employers of the construction company.
ELENWO said it was unfortunate that some persons will tag them, criminals, for protesting against inhumane treatment against them by the company they have worked for over a year, threatening that those who tagged them criminals should be ready to meet him in court to prove their claims or be ready to pay me for damaging their names.
KELVIN SOBRIMALA- ONWUBO who complained of health challenges after falling from one of the flyovers during construction work, explained how they have been badly treated by their employers.
A Port Harcourt based Human Rights Activist, OC HIGHER-KING who spoke to newsmen explained the legal implications of the action of the construction company against the trio including about eight persons who are still in detention for protesting against alleged injustice by the company.
Our correspondent reports that no person came out to receive the wanted persons as at the press time.
