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Ibadan-based company, Henkel and Expand Global Industries Limited, producer of Waw detergent, has announced the suspension of production at site over the death of a worker, Gbadebo Richard, who was until his death a student of the University of Ibadan.
The company’s Human Resources Manager, Aliyu Jibril disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday.
Gbadebo, a 300-level student at the Department of European Studies, died on Tuesday, after an accident at the factory where he worked in Oluyole Estate, Ibadan.
“Production at site remains suspended until further notice. The safety and health of our people is of utmost importance to us. Our company has stringent safety protocols in place to ensure that every employee operates in a safe working environment.
“We deeply regret to announce that a colleague from an external third-party company was fatally injured in an incident that took place at our Ibadan plant on Tuesday, 28 July 2020.
“Our onsite emergency team immediately stopped all operations and promptly informed the relevant authorities of the incident.
“The local authorities arrived onsite within minutes to carry out the necessary investigations and safely transport the deceased to the morgue where an autopsy could be conducted.
“The company is shocked and saddened by this loss and our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of the deceased. Representatives of the company met with the family along with representatives from the student council to express our deepest condolences. We will continue to engage with the family and provide the necessary support during this difficult time,” Jibril said.
The Company also assured that it is working closely with the police authorities and Ministry of Labour to ascertain the circumstances leading up to this tragic incident.
According to Jibril, both the Police and Ministry of Labour are proceeding with external investigations into the matter, adding that the organisation is conducting its own internal investigation into the safety protocols observed before the incident.
The manager added there may be queries from concerned stakeholders towards this tragic incident, assuring that further updates will be shared once available.