COVID-19: Sacked Access Bank Employees Protest Over Alleged Non-payment Of Entitlements

Employees of Access Bank who were sacked as a result of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic have taken to the street in protest of alleged non-payment of their entitlements.

TheNigeriaLawyer Recalls that the Group Managing Director of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe had earlier stated in April via a virtual conference with the Bank’s staff that 75% of contract staff, “non-essential services”, were going to be laid off.

This, he said is in accordance with the realities foisted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We probably don’t need as many security men as required, even to the fact that we are not gonna have all our branches open between now and December. We don’t need all the tea girls. We don’t need all the cleaners. We don’t need all the tellers etcetera, etcetera,” he said.

“The second has to do with our professional cost. Now that is one that is very tricky and it is tricky because I do understand and appreciate that its gonna, you know, bring its own pain to staff. We basically have to make the adjustments the same way you sounded when we spoke 10 days ago with respect to basically cutting down the cost.

“I will be the first to take the hit and I’m gonna take the largest pay cut, which would be as much as 40 percent. The rest we would have to cascade right through the institution. Everybody may have to make some adjustments of some sort.”

However, the sacked employees of the Bank are protesting with placards carrying various inscriptions, such as “ACCESS BANK SACKED OVER 1,000 LOYAL STAFF WITHOUT PAY-OFF AFTER DECLARING A PROFIT MARGIN OF N102.3BILLION”.

Former employees of access bank who were sacked during the covid period are now protesting at the headquarters of the bank calling for their entitlement to be paid,some have put in 10-11 years in the bank. pic.twitter.com/NAkPwjSSzf

— Ekpedeme Ukpong (@EkpedemeUkpong) December 2, 2020