Ex-Workers Set Comium Headquarters Ablaze By Adeyemi Jackson Redudant staff of the bankruptcy Comium Telecommunications Company on Friday 23rd January 2015 went on the rampage and in the process set fire to one of the offices close to the main building at Wilkinson Road in Freetown that brought business to a standstill in the area. Reports alleged that staff of the onetime GSM Company, protesting over the long delay to pay their backlog salaries and other benefits, decided to set fire on some of the company’s furniture, computers and electrical appliances but with the timely intervention of the police and the National Fire Force, the fire was extinguished. It could be recalled that Comium had ceased operations due to bankruptcy thus not meeting its financial obligations on staff but other institutions like the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), the National Revenue Authority (NRA), petroleum companies, contractors and even security agencies for which some havefiled a Law suit against the company. One of the ex-workers, Mr. McCarthy lamented that they have not been paid for the past six months and that the company’s lawyer has written a letter informing them that they would only be paid 30% of their benefits, a decision they vehemently opposed that triggered the action. He said they have no money to take care of their families and no other source of income, especially when schools would soon reopen. Another staff accused management of treating them with levity inspite of reporting the matter to the Ministry of Information and Communications and the National Telecommunications Company. This is not the first time ex-staff of Comium have gone on strike over the non-payment of their salaries and other issues, especially for Government to intervene and financially bailout the company. Concerned members of the public have accused management of negligence and that some senior officials have escaped to Liberia with the help of the police to evade prosecution by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The fate of the company as to whether it would be sold or liquidated remains unclear.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 10:48:35 +0000
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