The circumstances surrounding the death of Arthur Addey a staff of Hamilton Technologies Ltd a contracting firm to Chevron Nigeria Ltd on the 5th day of June 2023 has remained a great source of concern to watchers of the Industry.
His death has long become a source of litigation between his family and both companies in whose hands he passed on.
The case with suit number NICN/PHC/27/2022 was instituted at the Nigeria Industrial Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
While the circumstances behind his death is still being contended by the companies and his family, this was a graphic details of what was learnt happened between the date Arthur Addey went to work and when he eventually died.
According to the mother of his three Children Kaliwana Ali, Arthur died a most painful death at his prime age of 47 years. The continuing incidents which eventually culminated in his death commenced with his being bundled to sea by Chevron Nigeria Limited without adequate checks and non compliance with industry best standards for ensuring employees or workers are well taken care of particularly during covid 19 outbreak in 2020.
According to her she and the children participated fully in his burial rites which is evident in photos even though they were legally divorced but his siblings being represented by Buduka Julia Addey, a staff of Hamilton Technologies where her brother worked and died, in her reasoning, feels that any damages and compensation that won't be paid to her and her siblings should rather be thrown into the seach. Worthy of note is the fact that Arthur is the 7th out of nine children and the last of the four males in his family.
The last time he came over to our house was on the 13th day of May 2020 when he came to drop off Mark our son on his way to checking in at the Chevron Nigeria Ltd Quarantine Center Onne Rivers State for the mandatory two weeks exclusion. The only communication afterwards was over the phone until the 29th May 2022 when he was ushered into a sea going vessel. At least he communicated up till that point.
According to her , she commenced a court action against Chevron and Hamilton Technologies in July 2020 with a pre-action notice by her Lawyers at the Port Harcourt High Court. This was after attempts were made to resolve issues amicably with Hamilton who contracted the deceased to Chevron.
Judgement was given in 2022 upholding the Preliminary objection as to jurisdiction of the court.
She then commenced another action shortly after at the National Industrial Court, Rivers State with suit number NICN/PHC/27/2022 which is still ongoing.
Buduka Addey a sister to late Arthur Addey gave an idea to what happened leading to the death of her brother as a staff of Hamilton Technologies who had the privilege of being around him before he finally passed on on the 5th day of June 2022.
In her own written account on the family’s whatsapp chat, she posted this
My Name: Buduka Julia Addey
Date: 12.06.2020
Relationship to deceased : Sister
Arthur checked into CNL Quarantine Facility: Notore Garden Camp, ONNE, Rivers State.
Sign In: 13 May 2020
Sign Out: 29 May 2020 to board the Vessel and arrived the platform on the 1st of June 2020 and complained of feeling weak and took maleria medication when he was on board the Vessel and finally sent me a voice note on the 3rd of June informing me there was no medical facility on board the Vessel to attend to his respiratory problem. He was evacuated from the platform that night on a 14 hour journey speed boat ride and arrived eko support base on Thursday 12 noon, he was carried into the ambulance by flying doctors at about 14:22pm and arrived LUTH at about 15:45. After a long wait, we were told they only had space to accommodate confirmed covid-19 case and can't admit suspects. We left LUTH at 18:45 to Yaba and arrived by 19:30pm.
Arthur Addey was finally wheeled into Ward B at 20:22pm on Thursday 4th of June and they promised to take care of him. On my arrival Friday 5th June 8am Dr Adewuji who was on duty informed me of the treatment commenced on him and that Arthur's breathing was 95, his BP was low and they tried to bring it up and that his condition was critical and his vitals were not responding. at that point I called Arthur's doctor who explained further of his medical history He had hypertension at a time with raised lipid level which was well controlled and suggested he conducts chest xray.
We spoke to Dr Adejumo about 10am on moving Arthur to the ICU but was told at about 11am that there was no space and they were out of breathable mask which would have helped with his breathing. At about 3pm when we went to follow up on the breathable mask, Dr Adejumo went to fix the mask but came back with the sad news of my brother's death.
Funny enough, Arthur is someone who could have given his all for his friends and siblings and so it is a big shock to see his own very friend and siblings treat his children in this most heart rending manner.
All attempt to get the reaction of Mr Sobere Diri, Chairman/ MD of Hamilton Technologies Ltd or any representative of Chevron Nigeria Ltd was unsuccessful before going to press.