ASSBIFI silent on members conduct, but seeks safety of Banks’ Staff, Property
Just as the umbrella body of banks and financial institutions workers, Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has called on the security agencies to ensure the safety and security of banks’ staff and property, many Nigerians have equally called on the body to make sure that the hands its members are clean.
Many Nigerians argue that the root cause of the new naira notes scarcity cannot be unconnected with the sharp practices of bank workers after all. At least, a number of bank workers have been arrested by security agencies for engaging in unwholesome practice in the management of new naira notes.
But the ASSBIFI President, Mr Olusoji Oluwole, in a statement on Saturday, made the call while condemning recent attacks on some financial institutions, destruction of equipment, and damage to their buildings.
Oluwole expressed worry over such attacks endangering the lives of the union’s members and other staff of banks.
“We strongly condemn this act which is borne out of the propaganda against banks as the sole cause of the inability of the public to have access to cash across the country.
“We have seen a few videos of bank branches allegedly hoarding cash in their vaults.
“While we do not hold brief for these isolated cases or condone any verified bad behaviour, we expect that the same sources of these videos to also project the many locations that have continued to provide cash to customers or have empty vaults due to the unavailability of cash.
“Unfortunately, we do not deem it security conscious for us to share videos or pictures of our vaults with the public as professionals, “ he said.
Oluwole said that bank workers had, in the past few weeks, worked tirelessly, everyday for long hours against the prescribed work hours.
According to him, such sacrifice is to ensure customers are able to deposit their old currency notes and make the new ones available for withdrawals at Automated Teller Machines.
“This exercise has taken its toll on their health, work life balance, and families while being faced daily with the fear of physical assaults by irate customers.
“While we assure the public of our commitment to ensure their pain is ameliorated, we appeal for calm and understanding at this time as we call on the security agencies to ensure the safety and security of our lives and bank property.
“We are not saboteurs, but are professionals who follow and implement policies of regulators and will never be engaged in any act that will bring our institutions or persons to disrepute.
