These are unprecedented times at
Chi Limited, makers of fast-moving consumer goods, including Chivita Fruit
Juice, where the outgoing Managing Director, Roy Deepanjan, has been accused of
mismanaging allowances meant for staff welfare.
Members of staff were seen
blocking Roy in the factory as he was on his way to his office and ordering him
to come address staff at the congress holding on the ground floor.
Roy was initially hesitant, as he
tried directing staff to a certain ‘Amaka’, a Human Resource official, but the
staff remained relentless in their demand. They stood their ground and said
they would not leave unless he acceded to their request. Roy succumbed,
eventually.
“We want our MD to give us our
productivity bonus before he goes,” a member of staff was heard saying in the
video. “The payment of our HMO has been denied us from what we are supposed to
be receiving. All this money, we want them now, before you leave.”
In an announcement by Coca-Cola
Africa OU President, Bruno Pietracci, to the staff of Chi Limited, Roy was
thanked “for his leadership and commitment from the moment he first joined Chi
in 2009”.
“During his nine years as MD, Roy
built a successful team, managed the transition into the Coca-Cola system while
winning in the market. Under his leadership, the system grew more resilient and
the culture of ownership and can-do-attitude prevailed,” read a part of the
statement.
“Roy, who spent a significant
period at Chi and more recently as part of the Coca-Cola system, is planning to
venture into the world of start-ups, which is best suited to his passion and
skill set.”
However, contrary to the claims
by the President of Coca-Cola Africa sources a Chi that due to recent
revelations on Roy’s role in how about N19.6billion meant for staff welfare was
mismanaged, the company decided to let him go.
Roy’s tenure at Chi comes to an
end this July, with Eelco Weber set to take over. In the interim, Sanjeev Kumar
has been appointed to direct the company’s affairs.
Efforts to reach the management
of Chi proved abortive, as official lines of the company were switched off as
of the time of filing this report.
In the meantime, the staff revolt
is yielding results, as the company, for the first time in a long while, went
on Sallah Break, which wouldn’t have happened during the tenure of Roy
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