Globacom, one of Nigeria’s leading Telecommunications company has relieved 54 of its engineers of their duties.
The retrenchment, according to reports, cut across the country.
According to sources, the reason for the retrenchment was not stated when the affected workers received official notification of their appointment termination.
The termination of appointment notice further directed the immediate release of their staff identification cards and customised Subscriber Identification Module cards.
The notification reads in part: “This serves to inform you that your services are no longer required by Globacom Limited.”
“Consequently, you are advised to report to the Human Resources Manager, Globacom Manpower Services Limited, the outsourcing company, with immediate effect.
“You are also expected to hand over all company property (including SIM card, company ID, etc) issued to you during the course of your services with us.
“We wish you all the best in your future endeavours.”
According to news agency, Punch, one of the affected engineers described the development as a huge shock.
He said: “I can’t believe it is real… being told my services are no longer required without explicit reason. I am still in shock.
For someone like me who has been working at Globacom for seven years and had been managing about 150 power stations for more than two years now, to be sacked in this manner is unacceptable.”
Dismissing speculations that the sack may be connected to workplace misconduct, the engineer said: “Using myself as an example, I have been in charge of over 150 sites, operating them without official vehicle or basic transport allowances and yet there has been no case of stealing or anything else under my area of operations”.
He described the development as “part of the oppressive and exploitative system in Globacom” adding that “they just decided to drop us to cover up their mess.”
He further added: “Globacom has gained notoriety in the industry over cases of poor remuneration, slaving working conditions and arbitrary rewards and punishment systems or procedures.
“Globacom is a place where the bosses are involved in all kinds of deals to make money and sacrifice thejunior staffs to cover up their tracks,” disclosed another staff who pleaded not to be named for fear of being sacked.”
Lamenting the effect of the mass retrenchment, the affected engineer said: “As a result of this sack, most of us remaining now work day and night to cover up and it has really made things very difficult”.