Alleged inhuman treatment: We are open to investigations, Inner Galaxy Group says

August 21, 2020

By Ijendu Iheaka

Inner Galaxy Group,  owners of a Steel rolling mill in Abia on Friday, said they were open to investigations because they fear no indictment.

The group called on all employees, both former and current to also appear and testify to allegations of staff maltreatment when the federal government’s public hearing on their activities begin soon.

The company located in Umuahala, Obuzor Asa in Ukwa West local council area of Abia, stated this through its lawyer, Mr Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaiwe on premises of the company, while addressing journalists, who were on visit to their facilities.

Nwokocha-Ahaiwe said the group has not in any way infringed on the rights of Nigerians, stressing that the company had been living up to its expectations in Corporate Social Responsibility.

The lawyer said that since its registration and commencement of business in 2012 and 2015, there has been no petition against the company anywhere in Nigeria.

He therefore advised anyone with complaints against the company to come to the public hearing to defend such petition.

This blog reports that the allegations against the company include, keeping workers in inhabitable enclosures, sexual molestation and physical abuse of women and men.

Others include, locking up workers in the company and denying them chance to go home during the COVID-19 lockdown.

A Twitter handle @Truthfully83 had on August 12 post alleged that the company refused to compensate its injured workers adding that tje State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu knew of the abuses in the company, but did not take any action.

Findings from the company however, showed that they paid for the treatment of two injured staffs, namely: Elohor Edehor and Amos Teseer.

Elohor Edehor’s foot was injured on Friday, March 31, 2017, and so was amputated and treated for N1.8 millions, while Amos Teseer, who sustained burn injuries on April 18, 2017 was treated with N6.7 million.

Nwokocha-Ahaiwe said Teseer was compensated following an agreement they would not disclose, while they are in court with Elohor over terms of planned compensation which he rejected.

He said there was nothing happening in Inner Galaxy Group of companies that does not happen in other companies in Nigeria, adding that racism should not be brought into the matter.

The Group Managing Director of the company, Mr Andy Lu, said they did everything possible to ensure their employees kept their jobs during the COVID-19 period.

He said that the huge sums invested by the company from far away China in Nigeria confirms their commitment to making lives better here.

Lu noted that the company was doing much to fulfill its CSR obligations which makes it a responsible corporate citizen.

Cynthia Nwabueze and Lotachukwu Uzoma, staff of the company said its management’s relationship with them is good and commendable and does not prove the allegations against the company.