A group of protesters Thursday stormed the premises of a leading automobile retailer, CIG Motors, sellers of GAC Motors to demand for “fair business play”.
The large number of protesters, who lined the front of the company’s building and stretched across the road, were chanting different songs and brandishing placards with varying messages.
“CIG Motors: Nigerians demand fair business play not foul play”; Nigerians say no to foul business play, poor treatment of employees, bad working environment”; Foul business operation is a threat to development” and “Improved working atmosphere is a necessity not a privilege” were amongst the messages displayed by the protesters.
Responding to questions on the reason for the protest, one of the protesters, Kunle Giwa, said, “It’s a common fact that most Nigerian corporate organisations are glorified concentration camps where the dignity of humans are constantly violated and the right to decent existence is always trampled upon.
“For instance, CIG Motors, which is particularly singled out for this campaign today, represents everything that is opposite of global best practices and exemplary corporate culture.
“Anyone that is conversant with the reports about the operations of the company, which are all over the news anyway, will read how the company led by Diana Chen, a Chinese national, is flagrantly hindering the growth of local content in the automobile industry which would have enhanced the capacity of local players and created a win-win situation for Nigerians and foreigners alike; the company’s total disregard for labour laws and poor treatment of its employees particularly Nigerians who are in the CIG’s employment amongst other unruly practices of CIG that shouldn’t be found in any responsible organisation.”
Giwa further stated that, “This awareness walk on bad corporate governance and treatment of employees is just one of many interventions that will come from me and my colleagues in tackling this danger against development.
“We shall be petitioning all relevant government agencies with oversight functions on operations of corporate entities particularly on companies that are largely owned by foreigners and look at their compliance with Nigeria’s extant laws in relations to labour matters and transactions.
“These agencies will be compelled to wake up to their responsibilities. And they will be shown in details the greater danger to development when Nigerian workers and businesses are consistently maltreated and blatantly short-changed in their country”.
Recall that since the success achieved through the dedicated promotion of local content in the oil and gas industry and strict enforcement of the local content act, many Nigerians have been calling for same in other sectors such as telecommunications, manufacturing and automobile.
