‘WHOLESALE’ ILLEGALITY AND ‘ARABNISATION’ OF ZAIN NIGERIA.

Executive Vice Chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC Engr. E.C.A Ndukwe

Plot 423, Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.

The Honorable Speaker, House of Representatives Mr. Dimeji Bankole,

Abuja, Federal Capital Territory

The Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria,

Abuja, Federal Capital Territory

Dear Sirs,

‘WHOLESALE’ ILLEGALITY AND ‘ARABNISATION’ OF ZAIN NIGERIA.

We formally wish to bring to your attention the anti-Nigeria activities and consequently the systematic dismissal and termination of Nigerians at Zain Nigeria. Recently, we have had several top Nigerian job holders removed from work and substituted by ‘Half-baked’ professionals mostly from North Africa or Middle East. In January alone, the chief Sales Office, Chief Marketing officer and the Director HR were all sacked. The replacement made for the first two jobs (now combined) as expected is an Arab. In the last quarter of last 2008, the Chief Operating Officer, COO Mr. Lars Stork’s appointment was terminated, for the replacement; it was an Arab from Algeria (Lars is widely recognized and included in the prestigious list of Global 100 most influential person within the telecom business). These are very few and recent instances. Mid-year 2008, the group office forced an adviser (not a PA! an adviser, rarely heard off in this part of the world) on the present CEO, (he was a former CEO from Iraq).

As at present, over 1,000 Nigerians have been told that they will loose their jobs because the ‘company is not making profit’ and presently over-employed. It is amazing, when things that cannot be done by the Arabic owners in their country are now been forced on us in Nigeria and government will allow these things to go without stopping them. This is a company that made over N16B (I mean sixteen billion naira) in sales for January 2009 alone. This company made a lot of money daily from airtime, yet they are complaining of sacking staff due to profit issues. As usual, unqualified Arab professional will be brought to replace sacked members of staff.

Sir, it might interest you to know that
this is the same company that rented/leased an office space (a wing of the edifice) at Banana Island in Ikoyi for $27m while a sister company, Etisalt in the same vicinity bought a look-alike building for $20m, we Nigerians in this company are aware that this is purely a case of capital flight – what did the government do: absolutely nothing. We learnt the company had given money to the press to ensure there is a media black-out on these issues we are raising.

Sir, I know wish to draw your attention to the fact that the company has concluded arrangement to sack over 1,000 employees without benefit. Can this be done in Middle East where Zain has her HQ? Many of these staff have been working tirelessly for this company for upward of 6 years, they will now be terminated and given one month salary- it will be unfortunate if this happen in our country. Many of us here work for an average of 12 hours a day – Sunday to Saturday sacrificing everything only for the company to come up with this type termination arrangement. It is highly pathetic and unfortunate. Cadbury Nigeria PLC disengaged about 300 junior members of staff this year and they ended up paying over N700m as benefits. Zain which makes the annual turnover of blue chip companies Cadbury, PZ, Unilever etc in a single month and  will end up not paying their staff simply because of free market economy? Lack of will power of law enforcement agencies/regulators? This should be prevented from happening.

In 2006, Zain trading with the brand name Celtel bough over Vmobile; when they came in, they created more “opportunities”, call it duplication of positions if you want. Now they want to come round again sacking people. Why is it that all other regulators are presently not shedding crocodile tears as Zain is doing – not even the PTOs? Why is it that the dubious Arabs want to spoil this country and Nigerians will allow this in their country?

APPEAL

Sirs, kindly use your good office to ensure that this illegality being perpetrated from hell is not allowed in this great country. It would be dehumanizing for staff to be sacked or disengaged and then paid one-month as compensation in the telecoms industry.
This should not be allowed in modern world and should also not happen in Nigeria. Please use your good offices to ensure that this does not see the
light of the day. Enough of ‘Arabnisation’ of the Nigeria, economy in the name of re-structuring.

I have also copied major Nigeria newspapers and bloggers for effective public attention and judgment. Nigeria should not be operating in the 18th century while the whole world is in the 21st century. Thank you Sirs.

Concerned staff of Zain Nigeria