By: Fasilat Rauf
The federal government has inaugurated a committee of inquiry into Richard Gbadebo’s cause of death. Richard was a 300 level student of the department of European Studies, University of Ibadan who died in an industrial machine during the course of his work at Henkel Global Industries Ltd.
A copy of the letter of inquiry, dated October 25 was received by Femi Aborisape, the Managing Partner of Abope Chambers in Abuja and it was made available to journalists on Saturday.
Before the inauguration, Femi Aborisade; acting on behalf of Gbadebo’s family, and two other organizations: the Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond in Oyo State, and the International Lawyers Assiting Workers Network, had written to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige on August 24 to push for the inauguration of a committee of inquiry to look into the circumstances surrounding Richards’ death.
In a letter of inauguration by the Federal Minister of Labour and Employment, signed by the Director of Occupational Safety and Health in the ministry, Mrs Nneka Adogu, on behalf of the Minister, titled “Re: Accident investigation into the death of late Richard Gbadebo in the course of working the premises of Expand Global Industries Limited (Henkel), Ibadan, Oyo State”, it was stated that the committee had been set up.
The letter addressed the earlier request. It reads in part, “Sequel to your request for a commission of Inquiry into the death of late Richard Gbadebo in a fatal accident that occurred at the above named factory on 28 July and investigation of the accident by Occupational Safety and Health Department of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ibadan. A panel of inquiry to investigate into the fatality has been approved and set up by the Minister of Labour and Employment.
Please, be informed that sequel to the directives of the Minister, more vigorous and robust investigation into the death of the victim will be carried out on the factory premises by the panel. The date for the visit of the panel members will be communicated in due course.”
Femi Aborisade, reacting to the development said that “it is a step forward in the safety for a safe working environment in Nigeria. The setting up of a commission of inquiry may indeed be the first of its kind in the history of industrial relations in Nigeria.
Gbadebo Richard was reported to have died on July 28 in a soap- making machine in the course of his work at Henkel Nigeria Limited that produces WAW.
