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IRC Speaks on Allegations of Racism Amid Delay in Its Appeal Against NICN Judgement over Wrongful Termination of Ex-Staff

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Despite the repute of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a global non-governmental body that helps to rebuild people affected by humanitarian crises, there is an allegation that same organisation is built on a mindset of “white supremacy” that perpetuates “racism” against staffers in its workplace.

Reacting to the racism accusations, the IRC’s Senior Human Resource Coordinator, Aamir Fida, however, denied that such culture exist in the organisation.

Fida, who said he had barely spent two years in IRC acknowledged he was aware about a case that was registered against the company prior to his resumption in office.

His words: “..there is no discriminations against anyone regardless of their age, gender, race, status or anything, this is not true at all.

“I don’t know who brought the complaint and I don’t know why he is saying this because we never had such things (racism) before, in our organization there is a very open and very transparent environment and we are responsible to everyone and everyone is leaving on equal level and that is our culture and I don’t know why he saying that because there is no any incident like that.”

“If it is going to be complained about and after an investigation if all the allegations and all the evidence are established and it contravenes our moral conduct, a very strict punishment is given to the perpetrator.”

“I am only just one and half year with the organization I don’t know what happened in that case but I was told that the case was registered against IRC but I don’t know the parties to that case”

This is coming, nearly four years after the International Rescue Committee (IRC) went to the Court of Appeal in Abuja to appeal a judgment by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), ordering it to pay its former staff named, Daniel Bassey over discrimination and wrongful termination of his employment contract without following IRC’s international policy standard – there seems to be little or no progress in the matter.

The judgment delivered in 2017 by Justice Edith Agbakoba of NICN in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/102/2015 between Dr. Daniel Etim Bassey (claimant) and International Rescue Committee Nigeria (Defendant) seeking reliefs held that the claimant’s appointment (Bassey) was constructively wrongfully terminated.

Agbakoba ruled that IRC pay Bassey N3,300,000:00 (Three Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira) being the balance of six (6) months salary due him under fixed term contract which was wrongly terminated.

Following the judgment which was delivered exactly on 13/12/2017 IRC filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Suit CA/A/62/2018 but they seem to be reluctant in prosecuting the appeal.

*How Bassey Secured NICN Judgement against IRC*

S.S Mshelia, Counsel to the claimant, had on 24th April, filed for declaration that the abrupt termination of the claimant’s employment contract by the Defendant was without justification, thereby amounting to a breach of contract.

A Declaration that the termination of the Claimant’s employment contract by the Defendant is against IRC Nigerian Country Programme National Staff Employment Policies 2014 thereby amounting to a breach of Contract.

These submissions went through legal tussle for two years and in 2017 Justice Edith Agbakoba of NICN delivered the judgement in favour of the claimant.

*Appellant’s Counsel, Rotimi Denies Delaying Appellate Court Proceedings*

Rotimi Esq. said the matter is in court. “…nobody can drag the matter in court” he said. He added that “if the court fix a day for a matter, the matter will be heard that day.” Rotimi said.

According to Aamir Fida, the Senior Human Resource Coordinator, “IRC has a policy of due process following termination”, which was apparently not applied in this matter. And since 2017, IRC applied to the appellate court for a reversal of the judgement of NICN which favours Dr. Bassey, very insignificant progress has been made. It’s four years now and the respondent believes that the injustice he received by the IRC will not have occurred if he was of a different race and the matter would have reached a rapid conclusion.

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Celebrating the Legacy of Massad Boulos’s Leadership at SCOA Nigeria

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By Magnus Onyibe

Recent media criticisms questioning the breadth of experience and business acumen of Mr. Massad Boulos, the incoming Senior Adviser on Arab and Middle East Affairs to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, are not only misguided but also dismissive of the remarkable track record of both the man and the companies he has been instrumental in nurturing.

For instance, SCOA Nigeria PLC, where Mr. Boulos serves as Managing Director/CEO, is far from being just another company. It is a formidable force in Nigeria’s industrial and economic landscape. With roots spanning over four decades, it holds the distinction of being the first European automotive assembly plant in Nigeria.

In the 1970’s, SCOA Nigeria PLC made a name for itself by assembling Peugeot 404 and then 504 pickup trucks at its assembly plant at Apapa, Lagos and service center at its Lapal House facility on Lagos Island. Today, the company continues this proud legacy, assembling, distributing, and marketing M.A.N trucks and buses, power generators, tractors, agricultural equipment, industrial equipment and other heavy-duty construction and mining machinery critical to Nigeria’s key sectors.

SCOA Nigeria PLC’s clients include some of the most prominent and respected names in Nigeria’s construction industry, such as Julius Berger—widely regarded as the nation’s leading construction firm—Lafarge Africa PLC, a major cement producer, the Chagoury Group, renowned for developing the prestigious Banana Island, a premier residential enclave in Lagos, the DANGOTE Group, and many others.

Beyond trucks, SCOA Nigeria PLC is a trusted supplier of concrete, road construction and mining equipment, partnering with leading infrastructure companies to drive Nigeria’s development. For example, Julius Berger relies heavily on SCOA’s equipment for large-scale projects, including the 376km Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway and the 43.6km Lagos-Shagamu stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kano Highway.

Similarly, Hi-Tech Construction, currently working on the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Lagos-Badagry-Sokoto road network, depends significantly on SCOA PLC for the machinery and technology required to execute these ambitious projects, aimed at enhancing connectivity and trade across Nigeria’s southern, central, and northern regions.
Similarly,SCOA PLC has also been instrumental in the development of Eko Atlantic City, a groundbreaking urban project built on reclaimed land from the Atlantic Ocean. This visionary initiative, designed to address Lagos’s urbanization challenges and promote sustainable development, has been made possible in part by state-of-the-art machinery supplied by SCOA. Notably, Eko Atlantic City is set to host the United States Embassy, projected to be the largest of its kind globally upon completion, further underscoring the strategic importance of this landmark project.

In fact, SCOA Nigeria PLC’s impact extends beyond Nigeria’s shores. As a member of the FADOUL Group – one of the largest and most successful family-owned businesses in Africa – its influence spans across West and Central Africa. The FADOUL Group, established in 1966, operates numerous successful enterprises, employs over 20,000 people, and is valued at over $1 billion, with hundreds of millions of USD in assets. This legacy highlights the scale and scope of the operations under Mr. Boulos’s leadership.

Contrary to unfounded claims in certain media outlets, the suggestion that Mr. Boulos is not a billionaire is both baseless and misleading. As President-elect Donald Trump rightly described, Mr. Massad Boulos is a “deal-maker,” a characterization grounded in fact. His proven ability to negotiate and execute complex international transactions has facilitated significant partnerships between Nigerian, German, and French businesses, delivering substantial value and mutual benefit.
As a Non-Executive Independent Director of SCOA Nigeria PLC since 2012, I have witnessed firsthand Mr. Boulos’s instrumental role in driving the company’s success. His ability to navigate the complexities of international commerce, exemplified by the supply of a significant fleet of trucks to Lafarge Africa through a tripartite arrangement between a logistics firm, GPC and Union bank plc, has earned him widespread recognition and respect.

Mr. Boulos’s leadership has not only been vital to SCOA PLC’s achievements but also to the broader international business successes of the FADOUL Group. This is precisely the kind of experience and strategic vision he brings to his new role as Senior Adviser on Arab and Middle East Affairs to President-elect Trump.

As noted in a press release by Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance Transition Spokeswoman, attempts to smear Mr. Boulos’s reputation are part of a broader effort by opposition elements to undermine President-elect Trump’s nominees. The truth remains that Mr. Boulos played a pivotal role in mobilizing the Arab-American and Middle Eastern-American vote, contributing significantly to the Trump-Vance victory—an achievement that underscores his political and organizational acumen.

Efforts to denigrate Mr. Boulos’s qualifications and achievements are not only futile but also a disservice to the facts. Mr. Boulos’s expertise and accomplishments are well-suited for his new role, where he will undoubtedly deliver impactful results on behalf of President-elect Trump and the United States.

Magnus Onyibe is a Non-Executive Independent Director and Chairman of Audit Committee, SCOA Nigeria PLC

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Timi Frank Condemns Tinubu’s Silence over Wike’s Massive Illegal Demolition of Houses in FCT

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Former National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Friday, in strong terms condemned the deafening silence of President Bola Tinubu over illegal mass demolition of houses by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Frank who made this condemnation in a statement in Abuja, urged the President to urgently call Wike to order and halt the demolitions or suffer the repercussion of the oppressive tendencies of the FCT administration during the 2027 presidential poll.

Frank said: “Mr. President, say, so much has been going on with FCT since Wike took over as Minister of the FCT. In the process of acting sycophantically to impress you, he is demonstrating that he is performing minister, he is inflicting pains for Nigerians. that it’s causing more pains to Nigerians in FCT. That Wike is terrorizing the FCT.

He lamented that the actions of the Minister have resulted in immense loss and pain for the owners of the demolished houses.

Frank said: “It is shocking and unacceptable that President Bola Tinubu has maintained a deafening silence on this matter.
“As the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is his duty to protect the rights and welfare of all citizens. His silence on this issue is a clear indication of his administration’s endorsement of illegality and disregard for the plight of ordinary Nigerians.”

Frank also condemned comments credited to Senate President Godswill Akpabio who on Thursday said during a motion meant to halt demolitions in FCT moved by Senator Ireti Kingibe, that the Senate cannot stop Wike from demolishing houses in the territory because they are court-ordered.

“Invariably, it means that the resolution of the Senate urging Wike to stop demolitions pending its investigations is dead on arrival, therefore the more reason why the President must wade in and urgently stop the illegal and anti-people actions of Wike,” he said.

He accused Akpabio and his ilks of allegedly being among the beneficiaries of Wike’s land grabbing posture in the name of cleaning and restoring the FCT masterplan and called for something to done urgently to stop the ravaging bulldozers of the FCTA.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, however reminded that President not to be unmindful of the fact that it is him and not Wike that will be on the ballot in 2027 because Wike’s action in making enemies for him is enough to make him lose the election.

“From all indications, it does appear that Wike is carrying out the demolitions with the approval of the President which explains why the President has been mum the face of these tyrannical, dictatorial and illegal demolitions being carried out by Wike in the FCT,” he said.

He accused Wike of being vindictive by taking out his anger of losing his political battle with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State on innocent and law-abiding residents of the FCT through demolitions and disruptions.

He described a situation where Wike will tell house owners after demolition of their property to go to court and follow the law, as inhuman when he knows they will not be able to get justice under judicial system he has done all he can to compromise.
He declared that the present demolition exercises by Wike and the inability of house owners with genuine title documents would further scare away foreign investors that the President is making efforts to attract to the country.

“How will investors come to Nigeria when they know they cannot get justice in the event of breaches,” he declared.

Frank added: “It is most unfortunate that Wike is presently administering the FCT like his personal estate even as the President remains silent. The evidences are there everywhere, how Wike has been pulling down houses and taking over lands from companies, private owners and business people, and thereafter reallocate the same plots to himself via proxies, his family members, cronies and political associates.

“We urge the President to take immediate action to address the suffering of the victims of these demolitions. The President must intervene to ensure that the rights of these citizens are protected and that they receive adequate compensation for their losses.

“We equally call on all Nigerians to join me in condemning the actions of the Minister of FCT and the silence of the President on this matter. We must stand together to demand justice and protection for the rights of all citizens.”

Comrade Timi Frank is the ULMWP Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East

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Buhari Polarized Nigeria Along Ethnic, Religious Lines – Ozekhome

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A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof Mike Ozekhome, has insisted that former President Muhammadu Buhari should be blamed for his successor, Bola Tinubu’s preference to appoint persons from his ethnic Yoruba language group to key government positions.

Ozekhome, while delivering an address at a symposium on human rights organised by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) held in Abuja on Wednesday, claimed that the Buhari-led administration polarised Nigeria along ethnic and religious lines.

The rights activist noted that it is not surprising that President Tinubu was following a similar trajectory since it was tolerated by gullible Nigerians when Buhari was at the helm.

“When I hear today the northerners complain that Tinubu has ‘Yorubanised’ Nigeria, with so many Yorubas in the highest places in Nigeria, they are indeed making a point. But the question I would ask is: where were you when Buhari, for eight years, literally ‘northernised’ every position in Nigeria? You were either a northerner or a Muslim,” he said.

“I cried, I cried, I wrote and wrote. I wrote tons of articles. One of the 50 books which I presented on my 67th birthday was titled: ‘How Buhari Mismanaged Nigeria.’ Some people called it ‘na we,’ this is our man, and even if he is riding roughshod over all of us, it doesn’t matter.

“Hear no evil, see no evil because he is our man. Even if it is not benefitting us, the fact that he is our man is sufficient. Once it is no longer our man, we must also take up arms. No country grows like that.”

At the event under the theme; “Unity in Diversity: Embracing Freedom, Equality, and Dignity for All,” he warned those in positions of authority against compromising the unity of Nigerians in pursuit of tribalism, ethnicity, and sectionalism.

He described the 1999 constitution (as amended) as flawed, adding that there is a need for a new constitution with inputs from Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic and religious differences, on the way forward for the country.

“We need to redefine ourselves, not the present system where thieves are rewarded with doctorate degrees,” he said.

The Commission’s Ambassador-at-Large and Head of Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Ambassador Dr. Duru Hezekiah, emphasized that this year’s theme presents a significant opportunity, drawing attention to the complexity of human rights linked to the multicultural and multi-ethnic composition of over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages spoken in Nigeria.

He remarked that recurring ethnic and religious conflicts have threatened Nigeria’s national unity and stability, noting that the diversity of Nigeria’s population offers both challenges and opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding, which can promote national unity and cooperation.

According to him, the one-day symposium, held on Wednesday, 11th December 2024, consequently offers a singular opportunity to acquire knowledge and reinforce ties with other stakeholders to promote “Unity in Diversity: Embracing Freedom, Equality, and Dignity for All.”

Additionally, he mentioned that the occasion signifies the official swearing-in of IHRC’s new officials: Ambassador Dr. Malami Shehu Ma’Aji (MFR), who was appointed IHRC Special Advisor on Intergovernmental Affairs for the Africa Region, with Chief John Paul Ochemba serving as IHRC Advisor on Special Monitoring Mission Nigeria, and Dr. Kingsley Nwokoma as IHRC Commissioner in Nigeria, all of whose appointments were duly approved by the IHRC Secretary-General, Prof. h.c. Rafał Marcin Wasik.

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