Oshiomhole Hails CBN, Bankers Committee For Protecting Bank Jobs

National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has applauded the intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers Committee on the reported plan by a top bank to retrench workers.

Oshiomhole Hails CBN

In a viral video that trended last week, the Managing Director of Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, was quoted as hinting of massive job cut in the bank as well as downward review of salaries as part of the bank management’s response to the challenges imposed by COVID-19 pandemic.

But in a resolution at the weekend, CBN and the Bankers Committee barred bank from sacking staff, includingtemporary or permanent ones.

But responding yesterday, Oshiomhole, a former National President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), described the order as patriotic. His statement read: “I must commend the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bankers Committee for their patriotic intervention on behalf of bank workers against the reported plan by one of the top banks to embark on mass retrenchment as its own response to the challenges imposed the Covid-19 pandemic.

“While there is no doubt that these are tough times nationally, continentally and globally, I am of the opinion that what the moment demands is creative thinking to minimise the social costs. Job losses only mean plunging more people into hardship and trauma.

“As President Muhammadu Buhari has said, more creativity is what is needed at this moment to cut waste and get our priorities right at all levels.

“Reassuringly, President Buhari has already taken the initiative by setting up a high-powered think-tank headed by no less a person than the Vice President to draw up an action plan to help the nation mitigate the consequences of this global problem. I am confident that, with all of us working together, the nation would emerge from this challenge even stronger.