Thursday, October 23, 2014

Fashola blasts banks over branch locations, unfair labour practices

By Babajide Komolafe

Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has accused banks of unfair labour practices, and disregard for the state physical planning laws in the construction of their branches.
 
The Governor made these accusations at the investiture of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).

Represented by the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Be Akabueze, Fashola called on banks to have a rethink in the way they pursue their business.
He said, “Oftentimes banks locate their branches in a place where they have not made provision for the customers to park. So their customers constitute a nuisance to other road users, by interfaring with traffic. And most ofter those branches are cited without obtaining physical planning approval. And when the bank has opened and staff have started working there, it then presents government with a dilemma, do you shut down the bank or just ensure their illegal action.

The other area that banks should reconsider is certain aspect of your labour practice. An example is the increasing trend towards labour casualisation, especially as the industry still remains profitable. Given the high level of unemployment, they seem to take advantage of all the desperate people looking for jobs, by engaging them on terms that ensure that they have no pension in the future.

Also there is a lot of talk on the unreasonable deposit target and the impact on staff and the family.

Another issue is the focus on financing trade rather than agriculture and industry. We know that the banks have some constraints but within those constraints can we say we are really doing the best that we can in terms of financing agriculture and industry.”

In her welcome address, CIBN President, Otunba, Debola Osibogun, said that the Institute, every year, sets aside a day to admit a selected few of its eminent and distinguished members into the coveted Fellowship and Honorary Senior Membership status. Dear Members.

“Today’s event is therefore in continuation of that tradition but it is unique in the sense that two hundred and fifteen (215) key operators in the banking, finance and allied Industry and the Academia are being admitted simultaneously to the Fellowship and Honorary Senior membership categories.

This number is the highest ever and an indication that more qualified members are making outstanding and noticeable contributions in their chosen professions of banking.


- Culled from: http://www.vanguardngr.com

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