By Solomon T. Gaye
Report gathered by this medium says that the Management of the Cocopa Rubber Plantation located in Nimba County has reportedly downsized 275 workers with immediate effect.
Speaking to our reporter via mobile phone, the human resource officer of the company, Gondah Nenwah, explained that action to downsize the 275 employees is part of the company’s strategy to improve its financial standing aimed at settling all its outstanding debt.
According to HR Gondah, the 275 downsized employees were drawn from the pool of contractors serving employees working with the company.
Over the last eighteen months or so (running between 2023 -2024), employees of the Cocopa Plantation have intermittently engaged in violent agitation in demand of improved working conditions, setting of road blocks and looting of the company’s facilities in demand of salary payment.
According to reports, these labor related agitations are getting to be the order of the day and a common practice at the operational site of the company in Nimba.
Speaking on series of issues, Gondah explained further that the debts owed the company include workers salary, salary arrears for teachers, nurses, office staff, coupled with other administrative and domestic issues respectively.
The Cocopa Rubber Plantation is one of government owned rubber companies that boasts of a modern rubber processing factory, but lacks financial and logistical supports from the government to carry out functional operations.
It is gathered from credible sources that since the beginning of 2024, the company’s central office which houses the manager and staff has been closed and deserted.
When quizzed by the offices of the senior management remain closed, our sources pointed accusing fingers to the workers in demand of salary, rice distributions coupled with other benefits.
Since the introduction of the exercise which led to over 275 workers been downsized at the plantation, there have been no official statement from the president of the workers union or any of the affected workers up to press time.
Meanwhile HR Gondah declares that normalcy has returned to the company saying, “the company has resumed work, the factory is now open and running, the clinic, the school, are all open and operating effectively.”
