The recently disengaged staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have demanded justice as defined by the staff conditions of service.
The staff who were recently sacked due to the ongoing restructuring and reforms at the apex bank said whilst they are not resisting any reorganization that the current management is executing, it is only right and fair that they are paid the benefits due to them.
The current CBN management is carrying out deep reforms in the apex bank that have seen some staff transferred to Lagos and some disengaged outrightly.
Our correspondent reports that this isn’t the first time a new CBN management would undergo reforms and layoff staff. HE, Prof. Charles Soludo also carried out similar exercises when he came onboard.
One of the affected staff who didn’t want his name mentioned told Economy Footprint that “if some staff have been found to have compromised their offices, those staff should be dealt with according to extant laws. We are not averse to restructuring. We are also not against the current team hiring people that should help them achieve their policies and long term vision. But we should be paid our benefits if we haven’t committed a crime.”
Another impacted staff said the majority of the affected staff haven’t been indicted for any wrongdoing based on their disengagement letters.
“We are not scoundrels. Most of the persons involved were not indicted for any wrongdoing. The letters handed to the staff indicated the action was due to an ongoing reorganization” he indicated.
According to him, “the Human Resource Policy of the Bank indicates that such rationalizations should be based on a framework that is agreed with the staff Joint Consultative Counsel, and fairness to staff should be of paramount importance” he stated.
According to him, “the above provisions were complied with when Dr. Joseph Sanusi and Prof. Charles Soludo carried out staff rationalizations years back. Hence, staff did not complain.”
He prayed their fate shouldn’t be impacted by the travails of the embattled ex-Governor Mr. Emefiele who is currently standing trial over alleged money laundering and over charges bothering on abuse of office. “It appears the current retrenchment is an importation of the conflict with the former Governor into the affairs of professional central bankers, which ought to not be” he said adding that it could be “why the staff involved have not been paid their entitlements, which is usually paid promptly during such exercises.”
