The renowned technology company, Huawei, has been implicated as one of the contributing factors leading to the death of one of its staff members, Duduyemi Mayowa, in a boat accident.

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Huwawei is located on the 5th Floor, No 3 Oriental Hotel, Lekki Road, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Recall that Freelanews broke news about the boat accident that occurred on Wednesday, February 19, 2024, where a total of three deaths were recorded and an unknown number of people are still missing.

While the specific number of casualties remains unknown due to the negligence and ineptitude of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), it appears that one of the bodies recovered from the incident site became a victim due to his company’s disregard for safety protocols.

According to sources, Mayowa, a Huawei staff member, tragically became a victim due to working late hours. It is alleged that due to the excessive workload consistently assigned to Mayowa, he often worked beyond regular hours.

The Ibeshe-bound passenger ferry, T-Ben, departed from Addax Jetty, a jetty under NIMA, in flagrant violation of the law that prohibits boats from commencing trips without a manifest and being on the Lagos Waterways after 7 pm. The ferry collided with submerged shoreline concrete near the power line corridor at the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge due to poor visibility.

Duduyemi, whose wife is currently pregnant, was known to be a very hardworking and diligent staff member of the multinational company before his untimely demise.

“He was returning from work, and he often left the office later than scheduled due to the extra tasks he was frequently burdened with,” the source stated.

Given the breach of Labour Acts regarding the number of hours an employee is expected to work per day, it is shocking that the company has not issued an official statement regarding the deceased staff member.

“It is disappointing that no official arrangements for the burial or compensation for the deceased staff member’s family have been made. Furthermore, no official delegates from Huawei were sent to console his family during his burial,” the source informed our correspondent.

Many Nigerians are questioning whether such a company has an insurance policy with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund and the reason behind the company’s silence on compensation, as there are existing statutory laws like the Welfare Scheme, which includes pension and the Employee Compensation Act, to support the family.

Despite calls for accountability, Huawei’s response remains elusive, raising questions about compensation and adherence to labour laws.

Moreover, a series of circumstances point directly to the poor management of NIWA’s responsibilities for Lagos Waterways and the urgent need to scrap the federal government agency to allow states to regulate their territorial waters.

Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.