Enterprise Bank Sacks 150 Staff

Enterprise Bank Ltd., one of the nationalised banks, has retrenched about 150 workers.

Checks by the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday showed that the affected workers were part of the 250 staff nationwide pencilled down for rationalisation.

Sources close to the bank told NAN that the sack caught across all units of the bank.

At some of the branches on the Lagos Island, workers who confirmed the rationalisation, said that fear and apprehension had enveloped workers in most of the branches.

He said that the bulk of them were living in fear as the management could call on anybody to resign.

Efforts by NAN to confirm the reasons for the retrenchment from the banks’ management proved abortive.

The Association of Senor Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions has confirmed the mass sack.

Mr Emma Ilodianya, one of ASSBIFI secretaries, said that fractionalisation of the union was affecting the urgent resolution of the crisis in Enterprises Bank.

“The bank’s workers belong to a faction of the ASSBIFI that is affiliated to Trade Union Congress, while our own faction belongs to the Nigerian Labour Congress.

“I can only confirm to you that 250 workers were sack by the bank, but we are not handling the issue from this end,” Ilodianya said.

One of the affected staff, who spoke to NAN on the condition of anonymity, said he was retrenched without any tangible reason.

He said that the management was sacrificing junior workers because of their refusal to reduce their salaries.

NAN reports that Enterprise Bank, had on Feb. 14, 2012, asked 150 of its workers to resign or face sack without any reason.

The Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria earlier in September, 2013 invited interested buyers to acquire 100 per cent stake in the bank. (NAN)