How First Bank Threw 1,100 Workers Into Agony

Banking activities at the Lagos headquarters of First Bank of Nigeria was temporarily shut on Wednesday over a debt issue. The action was carried out by the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Service Employees,
AUPCTRE, an affiliate of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, which claimed that the financial institution was owing about 1,100 of its members N1.8 billion in outstanding arrears of emoluments.

The union, picketing the Stephen Olabisi Onasanya-led bank on Wednesday in Lagos, prevented customers from entering the banking hall for any transaction. Most customers of First Bank’s Lagos headquarters were frustrated at the development, which lasted for over four hours.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the Lagos State Secretary of AUPCTRE, Biodun Bakare, disclosed that, “They (First Bank) have been owing our members working with Anambra State Government Water Corporation salaries and allowances for eight years.”

Bakare narrated further that, “On this, our union took Anambra State Government and the bank to court and the government said they have paid the said money to First Bank for onward disbursement to the workers.

“The court ruled on July 14, 2014, that this money be disbursed to the account of these employees and since that time nothing has been done. First Bank assured us that it was fashioning out strategies for the payment and 22 days later nothing had been done.

“We gave them seven days ultimatum that after the expiration of the ultimatum the bank is yet to pay.”

Bakare also lamented that its members had suffered for the past eight years due to First Bank’s refusal to pay the workers, vowing that the union will disrupt banking activities in all branches of the bank across the country until the workers were paid.

However, the bank, through a staff at its Corporate Communications Department, Efeturi Doghudje, stated that First Bank would issue a statement on the matter later.