Bankers Committee Agrees to Halt Sack in Banks
By UDO ONYEKA
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and banks operating in the country have reach agreement to suspend every plan to lay off staff in the banking industry.
This agreement was disclosed in a statement signed by CBN’s Director of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor on Sunday.
The bankers committee was reported to have met on Saturday, to review the effect of the coronavirus on the banking industry.
According to the statement, it was also agreed that banks would need the express approval of the CBN to lay off any staff.
“The committee particularly deliberated on the issue of the operating costs of banks in view of the disruptions emanating from the global economic difficulties,” the statement read.
“In order to help minimize and mitigate the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families and livelihoods, no bank in Nigeria shall retrench or lay-off any staff of any cadre (including full-time and part-time).
“To give effect to the above measure, the express approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria shall be required in the event that it becomes absolutely necessary to lay-off any such staff.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria solicits the support of all in our collective effort to weather through the economic challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Committee’s emergency meeting may not be unconnected with news making the rounds on social media that some banks have started sending sack letters to some categories of their staff through text messages and planning to do same this week.
