RAJAB 11 1430 A.H.
FRIDAY JULY, 3 2009.
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Hotel workers protest non-payment of salaries
Workers of Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, on Wednesday embarked on an indefinite strike to protest the non-payment of their salaries, and entitlements in the last six months.
Shouting ``We are not ready to work anymore’’; ``We want our money to be paid,’’ the workers said they were also protesting the alleged mismanagemnt of the facility.
Mr Victor Oredola, who spoke on behalf of the workers, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that they had not received their salaries for the past six months.
The hotel, confisticated from convicted former Bayelsa Governor Diepreye Alamieyesiegha, is under the control of EFCC but managed by Diya Fatimilehin and Co., a firm of estate valuers.
``The management is treating us badly. The hotel is poorly managed with no power, water, faulty elevators, backlog of unpaid salaries and our cooperative contribution is being withheld.
``The hotel facilities have gone down to the extent that there is nothing that is working. The generators are not working, no light, water, the lift, staff bus all are not working,’’ he said.
``We want to know who the real owner of the hotel is. Initially, we were told that Alamieyeseigha bought it over but now we are hearing different stories.
``We are being treated badly, we want the EFCC boss to come and address us.''
Oredola said that more than 28 of the workers had been suspended indefinitely, another 100 were sacked for questioning the alleged mismanagement of the hotel.
``To worsen matters, we hear that another Chelsea Hotel is being built. So we want to know our fate. The real owner should come and address us and pay us our entitlements,’’ he added.
Oredola said that it was unfortunate that the EFCC was denying knowledge of the affairs of the hotel.
``The last time we wrote to EFCC, they said they don’t know anything about the hotel.
``But the managers (Diya Fatimilehin and Co.) said they got the contract through the commission,” he said.
Effort by NAN to get the reaction of the hotel’s management proved abortive as no one was willing to comment on the issue
When NAN called Diya Fatimilehin's office in Lagos, a female voice said there was no senior officer on seat to attend to our enquiries.
A text message to the EFCC spokesman Femi Babafemi was not answered.
But Mr Cyprian Ogwunike, the Legal Adviser of Chelsea Group, said that the protesting staff were not on the payroll of the establishment.
Ogwunike said that the workers should hold the EFCC responsible for their predicament.
He said that although the hotel was still being run in the name of Chelsea Hotel, the group had nothing to do with its management.
``EFCC had taken over the management of the hotel and leased it to Diya Fatimilehin and Co. who are now in charge of affairs.
``Chelsea Group is a responsible organisation which has never, since its incorporation, owed its members of staff any emolument in arrears,'' he said.
He urged the management of the hotel to pay the workers and stop dragging the name of the company in the mud.
``We envisage this kind of development, that is why we have gone to court to compel the EFCC to stop using the name of our company to run the hotel.
``The case is pending before the Federal High Court, Abuja. Justice Adamu Bello adjourned ruling in the matter till July 6,'' he said.
Ogwunike said that Chelsea Group sold the property, known as Chelsea Hotel, to Alamieyesiegha, while he was in office.
He said that in the sale agreement duly signed by both parties, it was clearly stated that the name Chelsea Hotel was not sold along with the property.
Ogwunike said that during Alamieyesiegha's travail, it was discovered by the EFCC that the money used in buying the property was stolen from public treasury.
He said that the EFCC subsequently obtained a Federal High Court order of forfeiture on the property.
``The property was confiscated by a valid order of court and the commission subsequently leased out the property to Diya Fatimilehin and Co, to manage,'' he said.
