Recently, Access Bank Plc announced move to downsize its workforce due to its inability to pay salaries in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected all sectors of the nation’s economy.
The bank also announced cut in salaries for staff that would be lucky enough to survive the planned downsizing.
The same bank had earlier donated N1billion to the government to fight COVID-19 in the country.
It would be incongruous, absurd and a height of hypocrisy for a bank that could make such ‘generous donation’ to the government to turn around and sack hapless workers amidst the pandemic, citing paucity of funds. Haba! This excuse is lame.
Would it not have been better for the bank to prioritise the wellbeing of its teeming workforce above making corporate donations to the government, just to attract attention. Was their donation meant to earn some so-called “good corporate image”?
Was the bank under compulsion to make such “corporate donation”?
Thank God for the timely intervention of the apex bank, directing that banks should not lay off workers on the ground of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our financial institutions should always show some empathy whenever taking decisions that have to do with laying workers off.
Sandra Marcus, Lagos
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