The management of Berger Paints Nigeria Plc, has assured the Nigerian Stock Exchange(NSE) and the investing public that the peaceful demonstration by a section of its workforce over the exit date for gratuity would not have adverse effects on the company’s operations.
Following the new development on Pension Reform, the company’s Board had earlier fixed December 2015 as the exit date for the gratuity but increased the employer’s pension contributions and announced other allowances to boost staff morale. These were effected through constant dialogues with the staff’s representatives. However, some of the staff are pressing for elongation of the exit date for gratuity.
A statement signed by the company’s Head, Human Resources, Mr. Yemi Temisanren, indicates that the whole essence of the new policy on gratuity was to ensure smooth operations and unfettered payment of salary and allowances despite the inclement operating environment.
The statement noted that aside from the regular monthly salary, the staff enjoy a range of benefits designed to make their terms and conditions of service competitive.
According to the statement, the management would continue to keep an open door for more discussions with the staff’s representative in order to ensure their understanding and appreciation of the efforts of the board at moving the company forward despite the vagaries in the operating climate.
Addressing its shareholders in Lagos recently, the Chairman, Dr Oladimeji Alo, listed strategic initiatives such as depot outsourcing scheme, greater marketing support, digital presence, factory modernisation and implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning System as some of the factors that enhanced the company’s performance last year.
Alo explained that the  initiatives, which would be executed this year to further boost the company’s revenue, include commissioning of the new automated factory, redesigning of packaging materials, and utilising ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) to expand presence in the West.

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