14,000 ex-bankers threaten hunger strike

A MAJOR crisis appears to be on the horizon between the Federal Government and some ex-staff of non-consolidated banks, who are yet to be paid their entitlements.

The former bankers  have threatened to go on hunger strike if the Federal Government does not intervene to compel the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) to pay them their entitlements.

The workers, numbering about 14,000, have petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President David Mark; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the NDIC but are insisting that they have not received any positive answers from any of the quarters.

One of the workers told the Nigerian Compass that they have resolved to embark on a hunger strike effective November 1 to press home their demands.
 
He said: “I am continuing with my plan to commence an indefinite hunger strike from November 1, 2012 having written to the President to immediately consider our case without further rigmarole.”

In a letter the aggrieved ex-workers wrote to the president dated July 23, 2010, they had said that government's refusal to pay them was contrary to the promises made by the former  CBN Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.

The workers, under the name, Association of ex-Staff of Non- Consolidated Banks, also claimed that some of their fellow workers in other banks that went under were paid.

The letter, signed by Pastor Magnus Maduka and A.Z. Bature, reads in part: “Our members have collectively and individually made several moves and attempts to get our gratuities and severance packages paid without success. Initially, we thought the CBN would live up to their bidding by honouring their promises within 90 days, but when they referred us to the NDIC, we knew something was amiss.

NDIC, on the other hand, and in order to keep us off their back, classified our entitlements as “other creditors”, meaning that they may never pay us in our life time. It is quite unfortunate that the NDIC, which had earlier agreed in our meeting with them and in a letter dated June 20, 2008 from them to pay us, would make a U-turn within a short time of one year.

“We know our dear President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria that you will not allow us to suffer a day longer once you become aware of our plight. That is why we opted for this non-confrontational approach to seek redress. We appeal to you to compel the CBN and NDIC to pay the severance benefits of the ex-staff of non-consolidated banks. They have enough money from the sales of assets of these banks.”

The workers further claimed that their colleagues from the defunct Lead and City Express Banks “have been paid by the same NDIC and CBN”

The ex-bankers have followed up the letter with several others to the presidency and other relevant agencies.

While their letters have been acknowledged as received from the office of the Senate President, SGF and the Minister of Labour and Productivity, they insisted that nothing has been done to remove the suffering they are going through.

The Compass