Jobs/Appointments
Ericsson Sacks 160 Nigerian Workers, Employs Indians
By Dipo Olowookere
Not less than 160 Nigerians working with Ericson Nigeria have been disengaged by the company. Out of the number, 55 of them are full-time workers, while the rest are on contract jobs.
According to Punch, the sack will take effect from Sunday, December 4, 2016.
A copy of the disengagement letter to the permanent workers signed by the Managing Director of the company, Mr Johan Jemdahi, reads, “Please be informed that effective December 4, 2016, your position has been declared redundant.
“We thank you for all your past services to Ericsson. Further information about the redundancy benefits will be communicated to you before the actual termination date.”
It was gathered that the outsourced workers were employed through Network Operating Centre.
Punch, relying on information from sources in the company, reports that some workers were laid off in July when the offshoring (the practice of a company in one country arranging for people in another country to do work for it) of jobs to India began.
It said findings show that foreign workers had been recruited to replace the disengaged workers, and knowledge transfer by Nigerian engineers to the new workers was ongoing in the company’s office in India.
The knowledge transfer had been going on since last year when some Indians were brought into the country to study the management of telecommunications infrastructure in the country.
It further said in the last two and half years, Ericsson Nigeria had managed the MTN network majorly from its pool of local workers, some of who were former MTN employees, as well as other contracted workers.
One of the affected workers said that the company was offering the jobs, which involved the monitoring of MTN masts and networks in the country, to Indians at reduced costs.
The workers expressed fears that this would be a continuous trend in the telecommunications industry if it was not addressed by the government.
The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “The company said it was cheaper for the work to be done in India than in Nigeria. The monitoring of those masts can be done from anywhere. We monitor Abuja, Enugu, Asaba, and Port Harcourt sites from the Lagos office. What they are now proposing is that instead of monitoring from Lagos, they want to monitor from India.
“They have taken the Airtel NOC office to India. They brought about 30 Indians to Nigeria last year to come and understudy the MTN network and after a month, they went back and started monitoring from there. There are no plans to pay compensation to the outsourced workers in the company.”
The Public Relations Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Ericsson, Toju Egbebi, who confirmed the development to the newspaper, said the move was part of the company’s global cost and efficiency programme to achieve a net annual cost savings of Swedish Krona 9bn, adding that the programme would continue till 2017.
According to her, the redundancy is being carried out across 180 countries where the company operates.
She explained that on July 19, the company announced actions to further save costs as well as intensify reductions in cost of sales activities and adapt its operations to a weaker mobile broadband market.
Egbebi added, “This means employees will be affected. The decision to offshore our service is in keeping with our global delivery strategy; certain work may be centralised into global delivery centres. This is to enable improved network availability and quality for consumers, and cost efficient network operations for operators.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The termination of the employment of one Mr Bodunrin Akinsuroju by CHI Limited has been declared as unlawful by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.
Delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Sanda Yelwa of the Lagos Judicial Division of the court held that the sacking of Mr Akinsuroju did not comply strictly with the provisions of the contract of employment and the Employee Handbook.
Consequently, the company was directed to pay him the sum of N2 million as general damages for wrongful termination and N200,000 as costs of action, while Mr Akinsuroju was ordered to return the company’s properties in his possession or pay their assessed market value.
Justice Yelwa found that the contract agreement between both parties clearly required either party to give 30 days’ notice or payment in lieu of notice after confirmation of appointment, and there was no evidence that the employee was given the required notice or paid salary in lieu of notice.
The judge held that failure to comply with this fundamental term amounted to a breach of the contract of employment, thereby rendering the termination wrongful.
Mr Akinsuroju had claimed that the allegation of misconduct against him was unfounded and not established, maintaining that the disciplinary committee proceedings were prejudicial and that the termination of his employment was without justifiable cause and without compliance with the agreed terms of his employment.
In defence, CHI Limited contended that it had the right to terminate the employment of Mr Akinsuroju and that the termination was lawful and in accordance with the contract of employment and the Code of Conduct.
In opposition, counsel to Mr Akinsuroju submitted that the alleged breaches were not proved and that the termination letter took immediate effect without the requisite 30 days’ notice or payment in lieu of notice as stipulated in the letter of appointment and the Employee Handbook, urging the court to hold that the termination was wrongful and to grant the reliefs sought.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday appointed Mr Tunji Disu as the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), following the resignation of Mr Kayode Egbetokun.
Mr Disu, an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), was recently moved to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.
A statement today by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that the President would convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council shortly to formally consider the appointment of Mr Disu as substantive IGP, after which his name will be transmitted to the Senate for confirmation.
Mr Tinubu expressed confidence that Mr Disu’s experience, operational depth, and demonstrated leadership capacity would provide steady and focused direction for the Nigeria Police Force during this critical period.
He reiterated his administration’s unwavering commitment to enhancing national security, strengthening institutional capacity, and ensuring that the Nigeria Police Force remains professional, accountable, and fully equipped to discharge its constitutional responsibilities.
Mr Egbetokun was said to have resigned from the position due to pressing family considerations.
President Tinubu, who accepted the resignation letter, expressed his profound appreciation for Mr Egbetokun’s decades of distinguished service to the Nigeria Police Force and the nation. He acknowledged his dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to strengthening internal security architecture during his tenure.
Appointed in June 2023, Mr Egbetokun was serving a four-year term scheduled to conclude in June 2027, in line with the amended provisions of the Police Act.
The statement disclosed that his replacement was in view of the current security challenges confronting the nation, and acting in accordance with extant laws and legal guidance.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Mr Tunji Disu, an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), has reportedly replaced Mr Kayode Egbetokun as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Mr Egbetokun resigned from the position on Tuesday after he was said to have held a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Monday night at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
President Tinubu appointed Mr Egebtokun as the 22nd IGP on June 19, 2023, with his appointment confirmed by the Nigeria Police Council on October 31, 2023.
Appointed as IGP at the age of 58, Mr Egbetokun was due for retirement on September 4, 2024, upon reaching the mandatory age of 60, but his tenure was extended by the President, creating controversies, which trailed him until his exit from the force today.
Although the police authorities are yet to comment on the matter or issue an official statement about his resignation, the move came amid reports suggesting that Mr Egbetokun has left the position.
Mr Egbetokun’s tenure was marred by a series of controversies; he recently initiated multiple charges against activist Mr Omoyele Sowore and his publication, SaharaReporters, after Mr Sowore publicly described him as an “illegal IGP.”
The dispute escalated into protracted legal battles, with the Federal High Court issuing injunctions restricting further publications relating to the former police chief and members of his family. Critics interpreted these court actions as attempts to stifle dissent and weaken press freedom.
His replacement, Mr Disu, was posted to oversee the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, some days ago.
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