The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NUBIFIE

  • NUBIFIE urges Ninth Assembly to address anti-labour practices

    THE National Union of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has charged the incoming National Assembly to look into casualisation and other anti-labour practices in the banking sector.

    It said most new generation banks did not respect labour laws.

    Its President, Comrade Abakpa Anthony, said the banks rather than employ permanent staff, who are more experienced and better qualified, preferred casuals with  lower qualifications.

    He lamented that as casuals, the workers were denied their rights, such as unionising.

    He said: “Casualisation is satanic. It is a way of outsourcing people’s destiny, when they are still alive. A casual is like making one a refugee in one’s country. Mortgaging people future.

    “We have continued to engage the CEOs who do not know the implication on the Nigerian workers.”

    The NUBIFIE chief said the union  protested at the National Assembly twice, adding that they were disappointed with the way the issue was handled.

    He added: “We would have loved a situation where the union and the banks we reported to the National Assembly were given the same hearing on the same day. But that was not the situation, the day the CEOs were invited, we were not there and, to us, it was like shifting the goal post. If they really want to treat it, they should have called us together.

    “What the National Assembly did was to send the banks questions, based on our report, which they would not have answered truthfully. But, unfortunately, we were not there to tell them that their information were falsified and that is why we want the new  lawmakers to revisit it.”

    Abakpa maintained that workers have the right to belong to unions irrespective of their status and should not be denied by their employers.

    He however noted that the union had been able to make some progress at getting some rights for the casuals.

    “Unlike when the casuals irrespective of the years they may have worked would be made to go without anything, we hold principal banks responsible for workers who have spent five years to get exit package at the time of disengagement. They have to pay them and not returning them to the contractors.

    “Our question has been, would you say the drivers carrying your money, the marketers, the tellers are not core to your service? Sincerely, there is need for a reappraisal on the way Nigerians are being treated like slaves by employers in their country,” he stated.

     

  • NUBIFIE urges N/Assemby to curb anti-labour practices in banks

    Financial sector workers have urged the incoming 9th National Assembly to look into the problem of casualisation and other anti-labour practices in the banking sector.

    The workers, under the umbrella of the National Union of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE), lamented that most new generation banks have no regard for labour laws.

    NUBIFIE President Comrade Abakpa Anthony said the banks rather than employ permanent staff, who are more experienced and better qualified, prefer to employ workers with low qualifications as casuals.

    He lamented that as casuals, the workers are often denied their rights and freedom to unionise  and fight for their right.

    He said: “Casualisation is satanic. It is a way of outsourcing people’s destiny, when they are still alive. A casual is just like making one a refugee in one’s country, mortgaging people’s future.

    “We have continued to engage the CEOs who do not know the implication on the Nigerian workers.”

    The NUBIFIE president said the union has also protested at the National Assembly twice,, but unfortunately we’re disappointed the way the issue was handled.

    “We would have loved a situation where the union and the banks we reported to the National Assembly were given same hearing on the same day. But that was not the situation.The day the CEOs were invited, we were not there and to us it was like shifting the goal post. If they really want to treat it, they  should have called us together.

    “What the National Assembly did was to send the banks’ questions, based on our report, which they would have not have answered truthfully. But unfortunately we were not there to tell them that their information were falsified and that is why we want the new NASS members to revisit it.”

    Abakpa maintained that it is workers’ inalienable rights to belong to unions irrespective of their status and should not be denied by the employers.

    He, however, noted that the union has been able to make some progress at getting some rights for the casuals in the sector.

     

  • NUBIFIE seeks support to tackle sector’s crises

    The lingering internal crisis rocking the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) has been resolved.

    The union also sought the support of relevant stakeholders to tackle the numerous challenges in the sector.

    At a brief handing over ceremony at the union’s secretariat in Lagos, where the past president, Danjuma Musa handed over to the new executives, headed by Anthony Abakpa, the union announced that having reconciled its differences, it has resolved and determined to carry out its responsibilities of protecting the interest and general welfare of workers in the industry.

    In tackling some of the challenges in the industry, the recent policy by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), supposedly intended to strengthen the industry and protect the insuring public, NUBIFIE called on NAICOM to take another look at the policy with a view to reviewing it to address public concerns and apprehensions regarding the policy.

    The union, who described the policy as discriminatory and restrictive of choice, said it undermines level playing ground capable of driving aground many insurance companies, noting that it was not good for an under-insured economy like Nigeria.

    Musa said: “The new policy by NAICOM, categorizing insurance firms into tiers 1, 2 and 3 would throw the industry into chaos, which may lead to the collapse of many insurance companies.”

    Similarly, they also called on the management of Polaris Bank to take advantage of the already established relationship it has with the union, taking into cognizance the number of years spent in the defunct Syke Bank and incorporate into the system.

    The new president, Abakpa, who commended the members for their co-operation during its national delegate conference, promised to put in his best to move the union to greater heights.

     

  • NUBIFIE urges Fed Govt to inject funds into banks

    The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has appealed to the Federal Government to inject funds into the banking sector to boost its activities.

    Its President, Mr Musa Danjuma, who spoke at the sixth Quadrennial Delegates Conference in Lagos, said the financial sector has gone through fundamental transformation in all areas of its activities.

    According to Danjuma, there have been policy interventions by the government, evolving innovations in ICT-driven operations and new employment system and its impact on economic and social status of workers among others.

    He said the government should put back some of the money realised from Treasury Single Account (TSA) with a proviso that it should be deployed to critical sectors of the economy.

    He said the financial sector has been under close watch for some years through various intervention measures by regulatory authorities and this has impacted on socio-economic development and issues in work place.

    The union leader said the issue of mergers and acquisitions also led to job losses as consequence of re-alignment and restructuring of banks and insurance industry weakened the capacity of the union to engage employers on the issue of condition of service.

    On TSA, Danjuma said the union supported its introduction, but the policy created liquidity challenges for financial institutions, which now relied on government funds to manage their business and generate income.

    He further said that government should ensure that it sustains the process of whistle blowing policy to ensure that it succeeds in the fight against corruption.

    “As a union we pledge our support for the policy and commend the National Assembly for a bill to institutionalise the war against corruption and discourage any attempt to abuse the policy for self seeking purpose,” Danjuma said.

  • NUBIFIE threatens to shut down banks over president’s arrest

    National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) on Monday threatened to close all banks in the country if its president, Comrade Danjuma Musa, is not released from police detention.

    The NUBIFIE General Secretary, Muhammed Sheikh, said there was a plot to arrest other executive members of the body following leadership disagreements.

    At a briefing in Lagos, the NUBIFIE secretary said Musa was arrested and detained at Area F Police Command in Lagos before he was flown to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Abuja last Friday.

    The group threatened to shut down all banks if its president is not released in good condition.

    “The general public should withdraw their money because we will ensure all banks are closed if Danjuma Musa is not released in good condition of health to Lagos,” the union said.

    NUBIFIE said an intra-union dispute, which led to Musa’s arrest, had been adjudicated and settled by the courts.

    It said the losing party, who it said was not a member of the union, accused Musa of threat to life and stealing, following which the IGP ordered his arrest.

    “The Inspector-General of Police should know that he cannot work for a group of people against Nigerian workers and leadership of NUBIFIE,” Sheikh said.

    The union said the allegation of theft and threat to life was reported to the state Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Alagbon, but no charges were filed.

    “There is only one NUBIFIE and the president and General Secretary are Musa and Sheikh. This issue has been judicially settled.

    “The two suits filed to challenge the leadership of NUBIFIE failed and were dismissed in Abuja and Lagos,” the body said.

     

  • NUBIFIE affirms affiliation to NLC

    NUBIFIE affirms affiliation to NLC

    The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) has affirmed its affiliation to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as provided for and ratified in its constitution.
    Speaking against the backdrop of an alleged publication in some national dailies that listed the union as one of the affiliates of the United Labour Congress (ULC), the Acting General Secretary, NUBIFIE , Comrade OdiakaNwanji, said the publication is false, totally lacking in merit and does not in any manner reflect the true position of the union.
    “The publications were a fabrication of falsehood by mischief makers to cause disaffection between our union and the NLC,” he said.
    He also said as a matter of fact, any amendment to the union’s constitution can only be done by the National Delegates’ Conference, which is the highest decision-making organ of the union, after which there would be approval and documentation with the Registrar of Trade Unions.
    He said there is no record any union had done this and follow due process as enunciated in the labour laws of the country.
    He said: “This is the case with the current constitution which was amended at the National Delegates’ Conference in September 2006 at Oshogbo, Osun State and approved and documented by the Registrar of Trade Unions.
    “We wish to use this opportunity to state that our union (NUBIFIE) has not held any National Delegates’ Conference since 2011 when the last one was held and so no amendment of our Union’s Constitution has taken place.”
    Nwanji also pointed out that the trajectory of NUBIFIE is that of corruption-ridden institution occasioned by the activities of the suspended former president and his collaborators, wondering how a union that is originally an affiliate of the NLC could be suddenly dragged into affiliation with ULC.
    He insisted that the reported affiliation of NUBIFIE with ULC is a fraud and an exercise in futility, as NUBIFIE will continue to remain an affiliate of the NLC under the leadership of AyubaWabba.
    The Acting-General Secretary therefore called on NLC and other relevant agencies of the state to immediately “arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of this dastardly act.“

  • NUBIFIE to govt: emphasise transparency

    The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has urged the three tiers of governments on transparency and prudence in the New Year.

    General Secretary of the Union, Mallam Muhammed Sheikh, said in Lagos that only transparency and prudence in governance would make the common man enjoy the dividends of democracy.

    He urged governments at all levels to intensify efforts at reducing the plight of Nigerians by sacrificing some of the luxury of political office holders. “Oil still remains the main source of the nation’s economy, there should be transparency and prudency in the way funds are allocated and spent. I think the state and Federal Government should come up with measures to ensure transparency and prudence in oil proceeds,” he said.

    According to him, many Nigerians are still poor, struggling to make ends meet. Government should show commitment at reducing poverty in the land. He said efforts should be intensified to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor by creating wealth. He said the country has all the resources at its disposal to better the lots of its teeming population.

    Sheikh added that the government’s attention should be on how to block all revenue leakages in the sector. The NUBIFIE scribe said more jobs should be created to engage millions of Nigerian youths roaming the streets without job. Besides, he urged government to work hard at making its stewards more accountable.