Olu Samuel, Lokoja

Trailer drivers working with Obajana cement factory , Kogi state have been protesting alleged “unfair treatment by the management of the company.

The protest was said to have blocked the only asses road leading to Kabba since the early hours of Monday, in protest against the management.

The drivers who used their trucks to block major entry routes to Obajana factory site of Dangote, as many of the drivers were seen demonstrating despite heavy security presence.

The angry truck drivers were demanding for the removal of of the management over unhealthy industry practices against them.

The drivers who also barricaded the only road between Lokoja and the west Senatorial district of Kogi state accused them of high turnover of drivers, alleging that some of them have lost their jobs in the transport section of Dangote on flimsy excuses.

Speaking with our correspondent on the sidelines of the protest, in confidence, one of the drivers, said the officers had penchant for inflicting financial injuries on the drivers and alleged illegal deductions from their salaries for flimsy excuses ranging from repairs of vehicles and damage to bags of cement.

He noted that the action of the management has affected the financial situations of drivers, adding that some of them are now indebted to the company to the tune of up to a million Naira.

In his words “The drivers are treated like no body in Obajana. Sometimes we have to effect repairs on the trucks with our money to keep our job. They hardly give use enough fuel. These are part of the problems we are facing here.

They also alleged that drivers are arrested for no reason and humiliated because they are drivers, noting that the drivers want this issues addressed without further delay

Other demands according to another driver who also pleaded anonymity said “poor working conditions, Poor renumeration, inhuman treatment of staff are only some of the reasons to the protests and demanded the
removal of Head of Transportation, Alhaji Babangida,aka Obama.

He also complained that only 5,000 Naira is given to Drivers on long journey from where they repair tyres and mechanical faults.

They wanted the Company to be more responsive to welfare of the Staff.

He added that the workers want change and hope that their matter will be treated with the urgency it requires.

With the heavy deployment from the Kogi Police Command and the army, they were able to clear the Road by Monday afternoon when our correspondent visited to enable motorist and commuters to access the Road.

It was gathered that there had been no loading at the Company in the last 24 Hours as the Company have been grounded as a result of the protests.

However,the Head of Corporate communications, Dangote group,Tony Chiejina told our correspondent on Phone in Lokoja on Tuesday that the truck drivers were angry over the company’s decision to install anti-theft devices on the trucks.
They are demanding the removal of such devices to enable them continue to steal fuel from the truck when they are to deliver cements.

” I have never heard of anywhere staff will get angry for installing anti theft devices to prevent fraud and losses to the company”. They have been adequately taken care of in terms of renumeration and so the company cannot and will not allow them to continue to steal from the company” Chiejina added.