The Federal Government has begun investigation into the death of a 21-year-old Richard Gbadebo at Ibadan-based factory, Expand Global Manufacturing Limited. The factory located in the Oluyole area of the city was sealed on Wednesday by officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. Mr Femi Fatoki, the Federal Controller of Labour, Oyo State Office of the Ministry, said that the factory was sealed following findings of a preliminary investigation. "Immediately we got knowledge of the accident, we came for a report. "We wanted to do a kind of investigation to actually know what happened and what led to the accident. We came here but we could not do much. "All the information we requested for and the document could not be supplied. "But despite that, we are able to put up a preliminary investigation and it was based on the preliminary investigation that we ordered the sealing up of the factory. "This order is in conformity with Section 38 of the Nigerian Factory Act. It has been identified as a dangerous workplace and we should seal it up." Fatoki said that the factory would remain sealed pending the outcome of a more comprehensive investigation report, which would determine whether or not the order would be lifted. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gbadebo was, until his death on the 28th of July, a 300-level student of the University of Ibadan. The deceased, a factory worker with a third party company - Henkel Nigeria Limited- was reported to have slipped into a soap making machine during production and died. NAN recalls that Mr Aliyu Jubril, the Human Resources Manager of the company, had in a statement described the loss as 'a sad development'. Jubril, who sympathised with the family and friends of the deceased, stated that the company was working closely with the police and Ministry of Labour to ascertain the cause of the tragic incident, in spite of the stringent safety protocols in place for all workers. He stated that the company's representatives had met with the family, along with representatives from the student council to express their deepest condolences. Jubril, in the statement, also gave assurance that the company would continue to engage with the family of the deceased to provide necessary support. Dr Adaora Obu, a staff of the ministry, said the preliminary investigation was inconclusive, but was optimistic that a statement would be issued upon conclusion of the ongoing full investigation. She said that some contraventions, which were identified, had been communicated to the company manager in writing. "We are still investigating, looking into the autopsy report and all that. "When we finish with the investigation, I am sure, there will be a statement," Obu said. Credit : (NAN)
