Indorama reaffirms commitment to workplace safety
By Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt
Indorama, Petrochemicals Limited has reaffirmed commitment to workplace safety, as it refuted negligence allegations levelled against it by one David Diepreye, an injured site worker of one of its contractors.
Briefing the Press at Eleme, the Company’s Headquarters in Rivers State, the Head Corporate Communications, Dr Jossy Nkwocha said the accident victim worked for SPEO Nig. Limited, a service contractor to Indorama Fertilizer Limited and as such, is not a staff of Indorama.
Nkwocha said that an accident had occurred on the 23rd of Dec. 2020 involving Diepreye, a Masher employed by SPEO Nig. Ltd and deployed to Indorama loading bay.
He said the victim during the accident sustained injury on both legs.
The Company’s Spokesman pointed out that Indorama was the first responder to the incident as it administered necessary first aid to the victim at the company’s clinic from where he was transferred to Rehoboth Medical Hospital, an SPEO retainer hospital where he was given orthopaedic treatment.
He also noted that at the time of the accident, SPEO was not registered with the National Social Insurance Trust Fund and as such was not covered by the Employee Compensation Act which also deprived the victim from accessing accruable benefits of workplace accidents.
“Consequently, on compassionate ground, Indorama took over the victims medical bills and also ensured that he remained on its payroll till date, his salary has been paid up to date,” Nkwocha said.
He further explained that the victim continued taking treatment as an outpatient after over two years of receiving corrective surgery co-sponsored by his direct employer (SPEO) and Indorama.
Nkwocha however, revealed that the victim had instituted a lawsuit against his parent company (SPEO) and Indorama demanding further medical attention valued at N8.5m legal fee.
He said that further investigation with the Claimant’s lawyer, SPEO and the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) which was expected to handle the corrective surgery revealed that the cost implications of the surgery was N1.9m.
According to him, dissatisfied with the process chosen for his surgery, the victim resorted to allegations and maligning Indorama’s reputation even when he was not a direct employee.
