By Ikome Christie-noella Eposi in Buea
Workers of the Cameroon Opportunities Industrialization Centre (COIC) Buea are presently undergoing a strike action in regard to what they termed “the bad governance” of their board chairman and head, Ekeke Njuma Moses who has been at the helm of the institution for a period of 2 years now.
They are also demanding for seven months of unpaid salaries. As at now, activities in the institution are on a complete standstill. While the board chairman of the institution is still to release a statement concerning the strike action perpetuated by his workers, the Sun Newspaper caught up with some instructors of the establishment who vented their frustration.
“For some time now, the workers of OIC Buea have been facing a lot of financial crisis. Since the month of June 2017, we have not had salaries. We have been patient enough coupled with the fact that we have trainees here who look up to us as their icons. Our employers are very hard-hearted. They do not have human feelings because even at this period where we have not had our salaries for 7 months, most of us have been suspended abruptly for no just cause and this suspension ranges from 2-8 days. Workers have been sacked arbitrarily. Indeed we are tired with the situation and we have been quiet for so long. In fact, we are more like slaves in this place, we do not have the voice to talk or say anything. We are underdogs. We plan to continue with the strike for as long as it would last until we have our salaries. All the activities of the institution have been grounded till the strike is over and our salaries are paid and we have unanimously agreed that we do not want the chairman again because he is not human” Loka William Loka, an instructor at the institution angrily stated.
According to Enanga Molua, another instructor at OIC, “I have worked as a staff in this institution for 22 years and we have never witnessed this kind of a terrible situation. Our main grievance is that of our salaries, secondly the person who calls himself our boss is a thorn in our flesh. He came here and met everything in a perfect condition but within the space of 2 years, he has sacked 51 workers, given over 80 query letters and suspensions. Coupled to that, our salaries were reduced drastically to the extent that we could not feed our families properly. The chairman has this tendency of illegal employment. He has also turned the center into a military barrack; he insults women, and their husbands. We do not know why he is here because this is not a military zone. We want the government to hear us and come to our aid”.
According to the workers, they have decided to put notices/posters on the walls, gates and entrance to the institution as a way of demonstrating – a more mature strike plan rather than moving to the streets.
While hoping to get a statement from the chairman in the days ahead as to the allegations levied against him, it is the wish of the workers that the government gives a listening ear to their problems so that activities on campus can continue as usual.