Defunct Kwara Express staffers jittery over job security

Despite the Kwara State Government’s assurances that no former staff of Kwara State Transport Corporation also known as Kwara Express would be sacked with the company's acquisition by Harmony Holdings Ltd, there are palpable fear among some members of staff over security of the jobs, National Pilot has gathered.

It would be recalled that Kwara State Government recently repealed the State Transport Corporation Law Cap. K54, Laws of Kwara State which set up the transport corporation.

The repeal followed the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed's approval of the law repealing the edict, which was earlier passed by the State House of Assembly.

With the repeal of the edict, the state government has transferred all the assets and liabilities of the defunct Kwara State Transport Corporation to Harmony Holdings Ltd, (the investments holding company of Kwara State Government).

According to the governor, the repeal of the edict was informed by the need to run the company in accordance with private sector creed which is expected to strengthen the transport company for greater efficiency and effectiveness under the control of Harmony Holdings Ltd.

However, the former Kwara Express staffers, it was gathered were still not sure what their fate would be in spite of the state government assurances that they would not be treated anyhow by the new company.

Speaking with National Pilot on Tuesday, a staff who craved anonymity described the situation as very dicey because of the fact that they don't know what the future holds for them.

Though, he said government has assured them none of them would be sacked following the nomenclature, yet majority of them are scared as they are quite aware it would be operated privately, unlike when government was in charge.

According to him, we all aware there is a clear different from government and private. So, we are afraid how the company will for now be run by the new owner. At the same time, we have other options as provided by the state government but I can tell you categorically that majority of us are confused and are in dilemma because things just change within the shortest period of time.

Also, another staff Mr Kolawole Amusa (not real name) confirmed that the state government gave them options to decide whether they are staying put and work with the new owner, to resign their appointment or seek for transfer of service to the Ministry of Works and Transport.

He however said though some of them have taken decisions to retire while some people have sought to be transferred to the ministry, but majority of them prefer to stay put and see how things would go under harmony holdings.

Meanwhile, several efforts to get Harmony Holdings Ltd to react to the development proved abortive. Also, several calls put across to the company's Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Tunde Abodunde was not picked neither did he return the calls.

Reacting to the development, the General Manager of the Transport Service, Alhaji Funsho Alabi Salau said the staffers need not worried by the recent development, assuring that it would not in any way affect their jobs.

Salau disclosed that 5 staffers have tendered their resignation letters, 30 seek for transfer of their services to the ministry while the remaining over 100 staffers chose to be work under the new owner.

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