It has been a long and arduous year for the former staff of X, formerly known as Twitter, in their quest for fair compensation. These dedicated individuals, numbering less than 20, were unceremoniously laid off after the new owner, Elon Musk, terminated their appointments without providing any severance pay. This incident occurred just as the staff had settled into their new office in Accra, Ghana, following months of remote work due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Initially, the staff were informed that although their contracts were being terminated, they would receive one more month’s salary. However, to their dismay, they were immediately locked out of their emails and subsequent salary payments were never made.
Since then, the former staff have been engaged in a frustrating year-long battle for fair compensation from X. With each attempt to resolve the issue, X has responded with prolonged periods of silence, leaving the staff in a state of uncertainty and financial distress. One can only imagine the emotional toll this prolonged ordeal has had on these individuals.
Carla Olympio, representing the staff from Agency Seven Seven, expressed her frustration at X’s lack of transparency and disregard for their former employees. She emphasized that the entire purpose of a redundancy package is to provide support and mitigate the adverse effects of being laid off. Yet, for one year, these individuals have struggled without any form of compensation.
In a previous agreement reached in September, both parties acknowledged the urgency of resolving the matter by October 5th. Unfortunately, X has once again disregarded this deadline, further exacerbating the distress of the former staff, as reported by Agency Seven Seven.
In July, it was revealed that X had essentially “ghosted” the Africa ex-employees during negotiations, leaving them without crucial severance pay and other essential work benefits, such as health insurance, stock options, and unpaid leave allowances. This level of mistreatment has undoubtedly taken a toll on the mental well-being of these individuals, leaving them in a state of anxiety and uncertainty.
It is important to note that some of the affected staff members had relocated from neighboring countries, such as Nigeria, to work for X. The termination of their contracts has not only left them jobless but also stranded in a foreign land, far from their families.
The plight of these former staff members deserves attention and resolution. It is a matter of justice and accountability. X must be held responsible for its actions and provide the compensation owed to these individuals who have faced significant hardships throughout this ordeal. The Nigerian public and the wider African community stand in solidarity with the former staff, demanding that X do the right thing.
BBC/Jide Johnson.
