RUMBLES IN VISIONSCAPE OVER UNLAWFUL SACK OF 18 WORKERS

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Less than one year in existence, Visionscape Sanitation Solution recently engaged by the Akinwunmi Ambode-led Lagos State Government is yet to outlive controversy. Few months ago, the agency became the subject of negative discussions over its inability to clear mountain of wastes that continue to deface the beautiful landscape of the Lagos metropolis.

Visionscape is the brainchild of the Ambode-led government brought to replace the Private Sector Participation(PSP) operators licensed by the former governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola. The PSP operators gained positive public perception over the years due to their uncommon dedication to duty until they were sent packing by the Akinwunmi Ambode’s government.

But while that controversy is yet to die down, the issue of illegal termination of workers has reared its ugly head, bringing Visionscape once more to the news, again for negative reason. This time it was 18 managers of the agency illegally sacked who chose to seek justice. They filed a suit at the National Industrial Court, Lagos for their unlawful sack without payment of entitlements.

In the suit marked NICN/LA/462/2018, the eighteen aggrieved claimants are Olakunle Jolayemi, Parkinson Akenuwa, Elizabeth Olatunji, Damilola Owoaje, Remi Akinsuyi, Amiohu Abraham, Anthony Otagba, Ajayi Gbenga, Remi Kola-Abiola and Jane Agwuocha.

Others include, Adewale Oluwole, Oladipo Itanola, Adeyanju Olugbade, Andy Owo, Ademuyiwa Idowu and Julius Fem. The claimants brought the suit through their counsel, Mr David Fadile. In the statement of claim, the sacked workers among others averred that they began their careers as employees of the defendant’s company (Visionscape) effectively on April 1, 2017, at their respective local government areas of the state.

They stated that during the pendency of their engagement at Visionscape Sanitation Solutions , the defendant neither give them any leave nor vacation contrary to the stipulations in their job offer letter. They said that they worked for seven days every week including public holidays because of the demand of the job for the purpose of achieving cleaner Lagos been the overriding objectives of their employer.

However, sometime in April, after they lodged a complaint regarding some of their due allowances, the defendant terminated their employment without due process. The aggrieved claimants are asking the court to declare that the termination of their employment was null and void because “it is contrary to Section 10 (1) of the Employee Handbook of the Employer and Labour laws.

“That they are entitled to all their allowances and benefits to the sum total of N7.5 million each and N1 million being cost of the suit. That the claimants are still in the employment of the defendant, the defendant having not complied with the provisions in the employers handbook. That the claimants are entitled to their salaries accrueable to them from the date their appointment was wrongfully terminated till when judgment would be delivered in the suit”.

They wrote on the placards, “Visionscape: we are waste workers don’t treat us like waste”. One of the aggrieved staff, Mr Olakunle Jolayemi, who spoke with newsmen urged Lagos State Government to come to their aid.