A banker, Mr. Endurance
Ukiwe, has applauded the Federal Government for its directions to banks to suspend further retrenchment of its staff.
Ukiwe, a branch Manager of one of the banks in the state, who opted to plead anonymity stated that it was not in the interest of the nation’s already battered economy to populate the already over populated labour market.
He said, “times are hard even for the paid employee how much less the unemployed.  Retrenchment at this time would cause more hardships and increase crime”.
Ukiwe, who spoke exclusively to The Tide said, the Federal Government did the right thing directing that further retrenchments be suspended and used the chance to appeal to employers to have sympathy for their employees.
In a related development, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, has expressed displeasure over the position taken by the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), on account of the FG’s directive to banks to stay action on further retrenchments.
A statement issued by the Ministry’s Deputy Director of Press, Mr. Samuel Olowokere, in Abuja, Tuesday, indicates that the Minister was reacting to comments credited to the Director-General, NECA, Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo, as saying that the FG has no basis to direct banks to stay action on the  ongoing  retrenchment exercise.
Ngige described the comments as, “borne out of self-service and unpatnotism”, stating that NECA should have waited for the outcome of the reconciliatory and stakeholders summit, scheduled to hold  beginning of  next month.
According to Ngige, “government has been intervening and shall continue to save banks and other industries in times of distress without allowing the free market rules to solely rule”, saying that any action that sought to undermine government’s efforts would be resisted.
He explained, “we wish to state clearly, once more, that the intention of government, rather than being punitive on these financial institutions, is aimed at following statutory procedures.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s organised labour, Nigeria  Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), have given 21 days to the six major banks that recently carried out a massive sack of their workers to recall them or face picketing.
Leaders of the two labour centres, Mr. Ayuba Wabba (NLC) and Mr. Bobboi Kaigama (TUC) issued this ultimatum in Abuja on Wednesday shortly they arrived from the 105th held in Geneva.
According to the ultimatum, the unions leaders vowed to cripple operations in the banking sector over the ongoing mass sack of workers unless the workers are called back by the respective banks.
The Federal Government through the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige has recently threatened that Federal Government will withdraw the licenses of the affected banks that flaunted the Federal Government directive to halt the exercise.

Tonye Nria-Dappa