50 Ex-Bank Workers Die Over 9-Year Unpaid Benefits

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Ignatius Okpara, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, November 20th, 2013

Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

At least fifty former workers of Non-Consolidated Banks in Nigeria have lost their lives following the failure of the nation’s apex Bank Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ngerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, (NDIC), Ministers of Finance, among other concerned authorities to facilitate payment of their terminal benefits since they were relief of their duties in 2004.

CBN governor Sanusi Lamido

Moses Okorie, a member of the Registered Trustees of Association of ex-staff of Non-Consolidated Banks in Nigeria, made this known to Newsmen Tuesday in Enugu during an interview.

He stated that the death of his said colleagues was as a result of untold hardship they have been passing through since they were disengaged without their terminal benefits, adding that those of them who are still alive can no longer take care of their family needs.

Okorie insisted that payment of their terminal benefits was long overdue, pointing out that all of them have relocated to their villages because they could no longer afford to pay their house rents in the township.

However, the National Industrial Court sitting in Enugu , presided over by Justice A.K Ibrahim has adjourned the suit brought before it by the about 14,000 of the ex bank workers against the Central Bank of Nigeria {CBN} Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, (NDIC), Ministers of Finance, among others to January, 29th 2014 for adoption of written addresses.

Counsel to the ex bank staff, Emenike Azubuike, had earlier during the court’s sitting, applied for striking out of the 8th defendant in the suit due to the revelation that the terminal benefits of the lead bank staff have been paid through their accounts in braches of 8th defendant that acquired and assumed their liability(depositors) and Asset(branches}.

African Examiner recalled that over ten thousand former staff members, of non-consolidated banks in Nigeria, dragged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to court, seeking from the court a declaration that they are entitled to amelioration and compensation in terms of their terminal benefits, salary arrears and allowances in accordance with the ‘Social Safety Net’ enshrined in the CBN Guidelines and Incentives on consolidation in the Nigeria Banking Industry of August, 5, 2004.

The aggrieved ex-bank staff members who sued as the registered trustees of Association of Non-Consolidated Banks, Nigeria, are also asking the court to determine “whether having regards to the CBN

Guidelines and Incentives on Consolidation in the Nigerian Banking Industry of 5th August 2004, particularly the ‘Social Safety Net”, the claimants are not entitled to be ameliorated and compensated in terms of their terminal benefits, salary arrears and allowances.

The ex-workers also joined the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, (NDIC), Ministers of Finance, Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney General of the Federation in the suit.