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Banks’ Reorganisation: Casual Workers Demand Regularisation

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Casual or “contract” workers with the five banks whose managements we recently sacked by the CBN have appealed to the new managements to regularize their employment status by converting then from contract to regular staff.

Staffers from the affected banks say at least one executive director in each of those banks own the firm which engaged them on contract terms and pay them for less then what the regular staff get, a salary they describe as “a salve wage”.

A substantial percentage of the bankers noted that they were unnecessarily exposed to huge cash against low pay. In their opinion, the managements deliberately keep their employment status as such for their selfish benefits.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one of them who work for a first – generation bank said, “The contract staff are allowed to work everywhere like regular staff. There is no control.

We handle big transactions daily that some one of our standing is not supposed to have access to.”

The Tide learnt that some of the contract staff work at the treasury as well as carry out some other sensitive duties in these banks. They are equally allowed to transact business worth billions of naira in some instances.

We also learnt that the contract staff phenomenon is prominent with Oceanic Bank, Union Bank, and Intercontinental bank.

Others with huge percentage of contract staff are United Bank for Africa, Skye Bank and Access Bank. Many of these contract staff are as qualified or better qualified than their regular counterparts yet the banks refused to regularise their employment status, preferring to exploit them. Skye bank, it was discovered that it is notorious for this practice. Some of its contract staff have spent six or more years in one position with no hope of promotion or conversion. They are regularly looked for when a regular position needed to be filled, even when they are qualified for the post. A contract worker with B.Sc degree, who had spent over six years in Skye Bank, is paid less than N1 million per annum while the start off package for an entry level employee is about N3 million.

The source said he had made several attempts to be converted to a regular staff or worker to no avail.

“We are only here to fill the gap for some candidates the executive directors are bringing,” stated the contract staff. “At least, I know that one of the executive directors that was sacked owned the recruiting firm that recruited me,” another casual worker said. Others contented that the situation was almost similar in all the banks in the industry where the managing director or one of the directors owns the recruiting firm that overseees their employment.

They complained that their appointments get terminated once the directors bring their own people, who they have retained the openings for, as regulars.

The contract staff also alleged that the remuneration is low and that is why they prefer to keep most staff on the contract list. A source at the treasury of one of these banks said.

They once made the same mistake with one dispatch rider who falsified an account to deceive CBN officials and immediately went to cash the money as soon as it was paid into his account and disappeared. The man has not been found since then”.

They appealed for a review of their employment with the banks in accordance with the CBN stand on contract staff in banks.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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