Disengagement: MTN Call Centre Agents call Ngige, Shittu to intervene

MTN Call Centre Agents operating from Ilorin Online Centre has called Ministers of Communications and Labour and employment; Barrister Adebayo Shittu and Senator Chris Ngige to intervene in the “unjust termination” of their employment.

One of the representatives of affected Telecom workers, Mr. Fatai Junaid made this call on Monday while addressing journalists at Kwara State Correspondents Chapel in Ilorin.

Junaid described the termination of employment of over 400 agents in Ilorin and about 2000 agents nationwide by Communication Network Support Services Limited Contact Centre Limited owned by Engr. Gbenga Adebayo who is the President, Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators in Nigeria (ALTON) as unfair and inhumane.

He said the disengagement of workers will affect Nigeria’s economy negatively in this recession period, if Federal Government and other agencies.

According to him, the continuous silence of MTN Nigeria who is the main principal in this issue has worsened the situation.

“MTN Nigeria has failed to fulfill its promise of ensuring smooth and seamless transition of employment of affected agents to new vendor-ISON BPO (an India Company)”.

An electronic mail dated May 20, 2015 and signed by former MTN Nigeria CEO; Michael Ikpoki, which was made available to newsmen confirmed Junaid claim.

The mail reads in part; “Although our call centres are currently outsourced to CNSSL and MacTay respectively, a new outsourcing contract has been signed with a new organisation known as ISON BPO Limited, following a competitive bidding process organized by Group procurement.

“ISON BPO emerged the preferred vendor for call centre management in all MTN OpCos in Anglo-phone Africa. As such ISON will manage the operations and management of the respective call centres in all English-speaking OpCos, (excluding MTN South Africa, whose call centre was outsourced to another vendor under the same competitive process). An inter-divisional team has been set up to work with the old and the new contractors to ensure a smooth transition.

“While those affected staff are not directly employed by MTN, they have become part of larger MTN family, and their respective contributions to success of our business is well appreciated. That is why we will ensure that all concerned are well informed and that all parties work towards a transition that is smooth and seamless.”

Meanwhile, the affected agents have condemned the action of CNSSL CEO; Gbenga Adebayo who is also the owner of Royal FM, Ilorin and Savanah Hotels for delaying payment of their entitlements.

Junaid accused Gbenga Adebayo deliberately inserting of section 3 to the clearance form to deny them their entitlements.

The section 3 of the clearance form reads: “I hereby further confirm and declare that I have no claims, rights or entitlements whatsoever and howsoever against CNSSLCCL or its agents or representative, whether civil or criminal, at Common Law, under any Statute or in tort arising out of or in connection with my service with the Company.”

He noted that the company owes them September salary plus 10days extra as the invoice system of company runs from 20th to 20th of every month and leave allowance, adding that CNSSL Contact Centre Limited has not remitted their pension to PFAs from October 2015 to September 2016 (12 months).