Calls For Twitter, Now X, To Pay Off Africa Staff

It’s been a year since X, formerly known as Twitter, fired almost all its staff at its only Africa office without severance pay, following the abrupt termination of their appointment by new owner Elon Musk.

The staff, who number less than 20, had only just moved into Twitter’s new office in Accra, Ghana, after working remotely for about eight months because of Covid.

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 have been involved in a frustrating year-long struggle with X for compensation.

“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,” says Carla Olympio from Agency Seven Seven, the company legally representing the staff.

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

In July, it was reported that the Africa ex-employees claimed X had “ghosted” them in the middle of the negotiations, leaving them without severance pay and other work benefits, such as health insurance, stocks and shares options and unpaid leave allowances.

The sacked staff said they had developed anxiety due to the treatment they were receiving from their former employer.

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.

BBC/Jide Johnson.