About 60 of Ecobank staff in Kaduna yesterday took to the street to protest what they termed “unjust sack” and called for government intervention.
The Northern Coordinator for the retrenched staff, Muhammad Yashe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the protest was held in Kaduna in order to show their grievances.
Yashe said that about 60 staff members in Kaduna and about 920 staff nationwide were retrenched by Eco Bank.
He said that the staff retrenchment was uncalled for at this critical time of economic hardship, appealing to the government and labour unions to assist in compelling the bank to pay them their dues in full.
“The disengagement of staff last week by Ecobank is uncalled for. Some of us have spent over 20 years working with the bank. At the end they sack us without even paying us our entitlements in full.
“Some of us were given meager amount after retrenchment, that amount can’t even sustain or enable us establish a business which we can continue to build our lives on.
“We are calling on the government and labour union to intervene. We will continue to push for our right, I have served the bank for 12 years but no penny was ever given to me for leave allowance while I was in service.
“Other entitlements were also never paid to us, but we never complained, at the end they sack us without paying us our entitlements. I am appealing to the government and labour unions to help us fight for our right.
Also speaking, Mr. Yusuf Ataguba, who is also an affected staff, said that Ecobank has robbed him.
“I have worked for over 20 years with this bank, I dedicated my youthful age working with them only for them to retrench us without pre-information, this is robbery.
“I am appealing to the bank to pay us our full severance without delay, that is why we came out to protest and tell the world to come to our aid.
“We want the world to know and we want the National Assembly to come to our aid.
“The National Assembly should review the labour laws where needed in order to safeguard its citizens against unlawful acts by employers.
“We are appealing to the government to help compel Ecobank to pay us our full dues or we shall continue to seek other redress where necessary.”
