The China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) has, after WikkiTimes story, refunded workers excess deductions from their salaries.
WikkiTimes reports that CCECC employees in Bauchi who are working at constructing site of Wunti Flyover Bridge protested undue salary deductions by the company.
The secretary of the workers’ union, Saminu Baiko, told WikkiTimes their frustration of the workers, who had endured two consecutive months of salary cuts.
Baiko explained that the union had initially agreed with the company to purchase safety equipment for the workers, with the cost deducted from their salaries.
However, while the equipment was valued at N7,000, the firm had deducted over N40,000 from each worker’s salary in two months.
The workers demanded an immediate refund of the excess deductions. They argued that that the safety equipment is the entitlement for all the workers at free cost.
In response to the protest, Alhaji Garba Lawal, the Public Relations Officer of CCECC in Bauchi, confirmed the salary cuts but attributed them to technical issues in the disbursement system.
He assured the workers that the problem would be resolved soon and urged them to resume their duties.
However, after WikkiTimes reports several workers confirmed that the company had finally settled their salaries.
Many of them credited the WikkiTimes report for pushing the company to act.
A worker, who spoke anonymously for fear of possible backlash, said that although they expected the money to be paid separately, the company merged them with their August salaries and paid them together.
He expressed gratitude to WikkiTimes for its persistence in covering the issue.
Another worker who confirmed the resolution of the issue added that they also submitted a request to the company to review their package to be in line with the new national minimum wage of N70,000.
Efforts to reach Alhaji Garba Lawal for comment on the recent developments were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to inquiries.
