Members of staff of the moribund Bendel Brewery Company Limited have staged a peaceful protest to lament the alleged unbridled vandalism of assets of the company in its premises.
The staff, who stormed the premises of the Edo State House of Assembly and the state’s Government House, however, demanded for the payment of their terminal benefits.
A protest letter signed by Victor Aivhenyor, Patrick Alebun, Sunday Izevbokum and Stephen Aniemeke on behalf of the entire workers and addressed to the speaker of the house and the state governor appealed to the state government to intervene in their plight, saying that they are only living by the grace of God.
They noted that the company, which went out of production since 2014, has now become homestead to vandals.
They also disclosed that security in the company has been rendered helpless as a result of incessant attacks.
They listed some of the assets vandalised to include transformers, air-conditioners, machinery, among others while cables of the vandalised machinery were also taken away.
“We the entire members of Bendel Brewery Company Limited Workers, write to passionately appeal to Your Excellency to save our souls, those of our families and dependants as for we are just living by the grace of God because many of our members have died and many are on sick bed.
“We are not unmindful of the economic crisis in the state; we are appealing to you to feel our pains and kindly look into the submitted terminal benefits list for all workers across board and consider those of us on deployment for payment to enable us get engage on any business that can also alleviate our suffering,” they said.
They further added that one of the security, Etsede Lucky, deployed by the Ministry of Wealth Creation, Employment and Cooperative to the company is now in critical situation at home after being beaten up by the vandals.
The injured staff, they said, has been referred to University College Hospital, Ibadan, but no fund to travel to the hospital for the medical treatment.
IDRIS UMAR MOMOH/CHURCHILLOKORO, BENIN
