There is a bigger picture to see beyond the closure of Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing (JSM) Company Limited which forced the management to have declared the over 200 staff temporarily redundant.
In a memo to the staff, the Akwa Ibom State based company, which was commissioned in 2017 by former Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, told the redundant workers:
“The challenging business environment we find ourselves in has compelled us to take these difficult steps.”
In the statement, titled “Temporary Redundancy – Service Not Needed Till Further Notice,’’ and signed by the company’s Managing Director, Akin Oyediran, and addressed to all workers, said :
“We trust this message finds you in good health.
With a heavy heart, we write to you today to communicate a challenging decision that Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Company Limited has had to make due to unforeseen circumstances affecting our business operations.
” All positions including “yours have been placed on temporary redundancy effective January 1, 2024.
“After careful consideration and a thorough evaluation of our current business situation, we regret to inform you that we must implement temporary measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of the company.
“Unfortunately, this includes placing all positions including yours on temporary redundancy effective January 1, 2024.
” Mr. Oyediran disclosed that the company was working with the federal government to ban syringes from coming into the country.”
“We want to emphasise that this decision is not a reflection of your individual performance or dedication to the company… “Please return all company belongings in your custody.
“Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during these challenging times.”
It was learned that the company was established to halt the importation of recycled syringes in Nigeria, and to sure that the products available in the market are of quality.
Also, beyond the local markets, it had been exporting its Syringe products to Ghana, Mali the rest of West Africa with trucks.
” Our products have been widely accepted, and we are excited to see some government hospitals using them. Currently, we are working on getting our CE certification so that we can export to Europe. That is our next goal,” said the MD, in an April 2023 interview.
Mr. Oyediran disclosed that the company was working with the federal government to ban syringes from coming into the country.
“Since we already have a world-class syringe manufacturing company, why should we continue to allow the importation of inferior products into Nigeria? ,” he said.