Ex- Employee Drags Lafarge Cement To Court Over Unpaid 8-Yrs Emoluments
A former employee of a leading cement company, Lafarge, Solomon Olorunfemi, has dragged his ex-employers to court, alleging failure in employment contract for about eight years, among others.
In a suit on his behalf by the solicitors, Olorunfemi, an engineer, held the brief that his employment was summarily terminated after working between December 15th and May 4th, 2023, despite the fact that, while in service, his employers ''enjoys the skill and professional expertise of his employee by the work he performs''.
The solicitors stated in their brief, among others: ''It is our brief that our client was employed by UNICEM (a company which your company 'LAFARGE' had taken over and now manages and owns its assets and liabilities) by an Offer of Appointment dated 28th May, 2013 as a 'Mechanical Instructor' to perform the obligations attached to the position at the UNICEM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. (UCDI-Training Institute).''
The brief added, a ''copy of the Offer of Appointment dated 28th May, 2013 is hereby attached for your perusal.
''Our client's designation as Mechanical Instructor spanned between 3rd June, 2013 to 1st March, 2014.
It also stated, ''Our client’s employ with your company was further upgraded by another Offer of Appointment dated December 15, 2014 to that of Lecturer II at the same UNICEM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE (UCDI-Training Institute); which same was duly accepted and our client carried out all duties attached to the position.
''A Copy of the Offer of Appointment dated December 15th, 2014 is hereby attached for your perusal.
''By this Offer of Appointment, our client's designation as Lecturer II spanned between 1st March, 2014 to 1st July, 2018.
''Again, by another Letter of Offer of Appointment dated July 16th, 2018, our client was again offered another upgrade to the position of Rector/Principal Lecturer by your company, same which was duly accepted by our client; and all duties attached to the position were duly performed by our client while in the facility.
''A Copy of the Offer of Appointment dated July 16th, 2018 is hereby attached for your perusal.
''Our Client served as Rector/Principal Lecturer between 1st July 2018 to 4th May 2023.
''Throughout the period of appointment as Lecturer II and Rector/Principal Lecturer, until our Client’s exit from your company, he was never paid the appropriate remuneration as clearly spelt out in the Offer of Appointments dated December 15th, 2014 and July 16th, 2018 respectively, a development he kept complaining about even till his exit.
''Upon our client’s exit, a Certificate of Service was issued to him dated 05/06/2023, wherein our client was stated to have worked as Mechanical Instructor Between 3rd June, 2013 and 4th May 2023, without again having any recourse to the Offer of Appointments of December 15th, 2014 and July 16th, 2018 respectively.
''Copy of the Certificate of Service is herein attached for your perusal.''
The solicitors further briefed that, ''Pursuant to our Labour Laws in Nigeria, it is trite that while an Employer enjoys the skill and professional expertise of his employee by the work he performs, the Employee is entitled to his remuneration, allowances and all entitlements due to him.
''Our client, having worked in your facility for a successful period of 10 years, has put in his professional expertise and skill to the development of the Institute, a fact that has gained him several awards, and recognition from within and outside the company should not be subjected to such injustice and ill treatments at any point.
They, therefore, pleaded for the payments of all unpaid appropriate remuneration and benefits ''due to Our Client by virtue of the Offers of Appointments dated December 15th, 2014 and July 16th, 2018, respectively.''
The solicitors also requested that their client should be issued with a Certificate of Service (CoS), in accordance with his positions of service to Lafarge Africa Plc (UCDI-Training Institute), accordingly''.
