…As Union Demands Payment of Two Years Salaries, Allowances
The National Union of Banks, Insurance Financial Institution of Employees (NUBIFIE) on Monday, August 26, 2019 staged a protest against non payment of salaries and allowances of two years to staff of Akwa Savings and Loans Limited by the management of the bank.
Leading the protest, the Akwa Ibom State Chairperson of the Union, Comrade Bassey Mbede said staff of the financial institution across the state are starving, surviving only on monies recovered from customers.
“We have not been paid for two years dating back to 2017. The management of the bank said they have presented the case to Governor Udom Emmanuel, but he has not done anything to that effect. That is why the Union is protesting today.
“Our staff strength is 120. We are surviving based on recoveries made from loans and the proceeds are shared to staff for their welfare. Some months, we receive five thousand naira or less for two years now. We have been silent waiting for the management and government to help us but to no avail.
“Our staff are dying, we no longer afford rents and food for our families, even transportation is difficult. We are protesting so that His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel knows our plight and help us,” she said.
Comrade Mbede further stated that workers of Akwa Savings are struggling to cope with the demands of work and that it is survival of the fittest.
“It is now the survival of the fittest. How we survive now is when you go out to recover money from customers, we share the money to workers for transportation and this has been happening for two years now. During this period, we have not received any salary.”
The State chairperson of the union also accused the Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Bassey Ebong of fraud and mismanagement of funds.
“There is mismanagement of funds in the organisation by the management and Managing Director, Mr Bassey Ebong and the state government also have not given us business. We will protest for one week, after that if the government and management of Akwa Savings and Loans Limited refuses to take appropriate action, me from our NUBIFIE national headquarter in Abuja will be sent to other banks to join the protest.”
Comrade Ebong lamented that the State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel have deposited N3billion to the bank which are yet to be accounted for by the Managing Director and board of the bank.
“Governor Udom Emmanuel in the last two years has sent a total sum of N3 billion for the capital base of the bank. We are aware that N1.5 billion of the said N3billion has been received by the bank management but the remaining N1.5 billion has not been accounted for by neither the State government nor the management of the bank. We are also demanding the Managing Director of Akwa Savings and Loans Limited, Mr Bassey Ebong to render proper account of the money that was sent to the bank.
“Since the government and management cannot also clarify the issue, we have assumed that they collaborated to mismanage the monies and demand accountability.”
The Union accused the management and the entire board of Akwa Savings and Loans Limited of being weak and unable to discharge their duties.
