All may not be well with Samsung Electronics West Africa’s operations’ in Nigeria as the crisis brewing within the company between the Koreans and Nigerians is far from over
The company has come under intense pressure to overhaul its work and business policies in Nigeria.
Samsung Electronics West Africa is the Korean business outfit saddled with the task of managing sales and maintenance of all Samsung products imported into Nigeria from smart phones to other electronic accessories. The Nigerian workers have alleged sharp practices by the company ranging from tax evasion, immigrations fraud, and work place discrimination.
Samsung Electronic West Africa otherwise known as SEWA in the last months have been under the watch of regulatory agencies in Nigeria prompting their head office to send in auditors due to reports of discrepancies in accounting and financial reporting. The auditors are yet to make public their reports; however, it was part of the reason that prompted the corporate head office’s recall of Mr. Jinuk Shin the Korean chief executive of SEWA operations in Nigeria. The Koreans in Nigerian arm of Samsungs’ business have been accused of high level corruption within the company. They are also known to have colluded with some Nigerian tax officials to defraud the company and under report their financial dealings in Nigeria. It is common knowledge among Nigerian staff of the company that SEWA operates two payroll schemes; one for used for actual payroll and the other under reported for the revenue service scrutiny. Nigerians are not allowed to work in certain sections or departments. No Nigerian is allowed the use of the company’s car park leaving most of them of the mercy of LASTMA who tow their cars on regular basis. The furniture for Nigerian staff is in poor state while the company imports furniture for its Korean and Indian counterpart.
Recent resistance by the Nigerian staff prompted the Koreans to employ bodyguards and policemen who beat up staff on the instruction of their Korean bosses. Verbal and physical assaults have become common work behaviour as the Nigerian workers leave in fear and intimidation. Most notorious for verbal abuse on the Nigerian staff are Messrs KK Park, Karl Ko and Sunil Kumar who make it a point of duty to daily harass female Nigerian staff. Mr KK Park is alleged to have openly said that he preferred a dog instead of a Nigerian as staff that he believes who will be more submissive.
The company has also commenced forceful exit of Nigerian staff that they feel are opposed to their style of operations. Recently, the HR Business Manager resigned under questionable circumstances whom many believed that it was because he disagreed with the management on their hire and fire attitude towards Nigerians. Within the last months, over 25 Nigerians on managerial levels have been nudged into resignations and more to follow.
SEWA brings in less qualified Koreans and Indians as managers under the expatriate quota and who now bear directors designation. The company does not comply with the local content development policy of Nigeria as they continue to deplete the Nigeria managerial workforce who is also compelled to report to the Indians instead of the CEO.
Efforts to reach to SEWA CEO on phone proved abortive as he will not pick his calls or respond to text messages. The heavy security presence of stern looking policemen and bodyguards who asked us to leave and mind our business at the SEWA office at Mulliner Towers, Ikoyi made it impossible for us to get Samsung’s side of the story.
