Tech

Sacked African Twitter staff threaten lawsuit

Published

1 year ago

November 4, 2023

Sacked Twitter staff members in Africa have threatened to file a lawsuit against the company for failing to pay out the redundancy money they were promised at the time of their disengagement.

Last year, some other disengaged staff from Africa had also filed a lawsuit against the company after billionaire, Elon Musk bought it and changed its make to X, and immediately went about sacking thousands of staff without paying them compensation.

According to some of the affected staff, most of them had only been in the job a matter of months when the social media platform told them they were fired last November.

“It’s difficult when it’s the world’s richest man owing you money and closure,” one of the sacked workers told the BBC Africa on Saturday.

The sacked African had only just moved into X’s new office in Accra, Ghana, following about eight months of working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic when the company announced the termination of their appointments.

They are now saying the ill-treatment they got from the company has “harmed their mental health and their family finances.”

One of the staff told BBC that they were initially told that although their contracts were being terminated, they would be paid to work for one more month. But they were immediately locked out of their emails and no further salary payments were made.

Since then, the staff said they had been involved in a frustrating year-long struggle with X for compensation.

A confirmation of the bad treatment was gotten from Agency Seven Seven, the company providing legal representation to the staff.

“Every time we get close, they go silent for weeks on end with no explanation. It has been one year since they were all laid off, defeating the entire purpose of a redundancy package, which is meant to cushion employees against the adverse effects of being laid off,” Carla Olympio, an official of the agency said.

“In September, both parties agreed that all discussions and a settlement would need to be concluded by 5 October at the latest. But this was the latest of many deadlines X has ignored.

“Some of them had been employed from neighbouring countries like Nigeria. Their contract termination meant they were left stranded in Ghana after having moved their families,” Olympio added.

Related Topics:Elon Musk Featured Lawsuit Twitter X

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Tech

Ghana partners with The Gambia to provide free roaming services

Published

9 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghana and The Gambia are in the process of launching free roaming services that will enhance a West African connectivity.

The plan which is a joint initiative of the Ghana Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation and The Gambian National Communications Authority (NCA) will see mobile users in both countries avoiding extra charges for calls, texts, and data, which in turn, is expected to boost trade, tourism, and economic integration across borders.

The collaboration, according to a joint statement by the two bodies, aligns with the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) broader push for seamless regional communication.

“Ghana and The Gambia are forging new paths in West Africa’s digital landscape, implementing a free-roaming initiative,” the statement said.

“This move strengthens regional connectivity while highlighting the role of technological collaboration in fostering economic integration. The initiative enables mobile users travelling between the two nations to make calls, send messages, and use data services without additional roaming fees.”

It further noted that by reducing these costs, the program aligns with the ECOWAS Free Roaming Initiative, which seeks to eliminate barriers to communication across member states.

“It is a boost for trade and travel as the free roaming plan is expected to spur economic activities by streamlining cross-border communication.

“Businesses and individuals travelling between Ghana and The Gambia can now stay connected without worrying about exorbitant charges, facilitating smoother transactions and personal interactions. The initiative is also expected to attract more tourists by ensuring seamless digital access for visitors.

“This collaboration marks another milestone in Ghana’s commitment to expanding digital connectivity, following Ghana’s successful implementation of similar agreements with Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin, with talks of possible roaming partnerships with Liberia.

“By focusing on digital integration, Ghana and The Gambia demonstrate the power of technology to bridge gaps between countries. This step also serves as a model for other West African nations to join the free-roaming framework, contributing to the larger goal of a connected and economically integrated region,” it added.

Tech

Tanzania to host 6th Ocean Innovation Africa summit in February

Published

1 day ago

November 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, has been selected to host the sixth edition of the Ocean Innovation Africa (OIA) summit from February 24-28, 2025, as a flagship event within Regenerative Ocean Week.

The Ocean Innovation Africa is set to be Africa’s most significant platform for Ocean Innovation conservation, and sustainable development in the blue economy. OIA2025 will be co-organised with leading partners, including IUCN, GIZ, OceanHub Africa, Catalyze and the Ocean-Climate Platform.

With the theme, “Science-to-Solution”, the Regenerative Ocean Week will present a line-up of sessions designed to bridge the gap between scientific research, business innovation, policy, and community engagement.

According to the organizers of the event, it will bring together African ocean innovators, investors, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to explore practical solutions that can be applied across the continent.

“These include the OIA Pitch Competition, which is a platform for Africa-based startups and entrepreneurs to showcase breakthrough ideas in ocean-impact solutions, allowing them to connect with investors and industry leaders and emphasizing Africa’s role in driving sustainable ocean initiatives,” the organizers said in a statement.