Work on Section 3B of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project has been grounded as over 600 workers of Hitech Construction Company embarked on strike at Awi, Akamkpa Local Government Area, Cross River State, demanding sack of expatriates and reinstatement of the State Liaison Officer.

The workers, who commenced protest on October 26, accused the project management led by Lebanese expatriates of intimidation, unfair treatment, arbitrary salary cuts and disrespect for Nigerian labour.

A visit to Hitech Construction Yard at Awi, the starting point of the Cross River stretch, on Wednesday witnessed a large congregation of protesting workers with military personnel deployed to protect the facility.

Speaking to journalists, Esikere Peter, a Quality Control/Laboratory worker, alleged that payment for working hours had been slashed from eight hours to two hours, resulting in significant salary losses, while night shifts were scrapped from bookings despite workers working till 11 p.m. without pay.

Peter also accused the Project Manager, Mr Boutrous, a Lebanese, of arbitrary dismissals, intimidation and penalising workers who requested materials to work.

“We are demanding the removal of the project manager, the Site Manager, Mr Tony and Earth Moving Supervisor Mr Shabel who have continuously treated workers unfairly. We the workers are not protesting to destroy property or cause violence, we just want the Nigerian workers to be treated fairly and with dignity,” he said.

Trailer driver, Stephen Oke, accused the expatriates of intimidation and maltreatment.

“Nigerian labourers do all the work in harsh conditions, yet we are cheated, shortchanged and underpaid,” he said.

Another worker, Ana Matthew, who does earth-moving/level-checking, said employees work under harsh weather without adequate shelter and alleged management uses military personnel to intimidate them.

He said workers’ payments were reduced despite day and night work, while scrap materials previously shared among workers were allegedly sold without consent.

Some female workers also alleged maltreatment, lamenting lack of separate restrooms for women while expatriates have multiple restrooms.

Workers alleged that the expatriates refused to work with Mr Asuquo Ukpayang, the State Liaison Officer for the project, and imposed a Community Liaison Officer (CLO) they could control.

Reacting, Ukpayang expressed solidarity with the workers, confirming complaints about salary deductions and unpaid entitlements.

He disclosed that the wife of the State Governor, Archbishop Eyoanwan Otu, had earlier communicated workers’ welfare concerns to Hitech management, urging equitable treatment.

Ukpayang promised to engage senior management of Hitech, the Federal Controller of Works and the Minister of Works to facilitate dialogue, urging workers to remain peaceful and nominate representatives for negotiation.

As at press time, work at the yard remained paralysed with workers vowing to continue protest until their demands are met. (The Guardian, excluding headline)