By Rita Esegine
The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE), has urged Nigerians to stop attacking bank facilities and workers, saying that bank workers are not the reason why new naira notes are scarce, neither are they exacerbating the crisis by hiding or refusing to load the new notes in the ATMs.
NUBIFIE National President, Comrade Abakpa Anthony, said this in a phone chat with Our Reporter.
While he warned that continued attacks on banks and its staff will force his union to direct workers to stay away from work, he went on to say that the cash scarcity situation will worsen if bank workers are asked to stop work. He maintained that bank workers are already afraid of going to work because the feel their their lives are under threat by the attacks. “We are worried about the violent attacks on banks and our members by extension. It is also worrisome the news people are carrying about that banks and their workers are withholding money, it is not true. There is no possible way the CBN will release money and banks and their staff will refuse to load the ATMs with cash. Bankers are not the reason why there is cash scarcity in the country neither are they withholding the money from Nigerias. In fact, they and their families are also suffering just like every other Nigerian.
“Attacking bank facilities and their workers who work so hard to render services to the citizens is very wrong. It is wrong for anybody to believe that bankers and the facilities are the reason why there are no money in the ATMs or in the banks. The citizens should rather find a better way to express their grievances instead of unleashing mayhem on bank staff and facilities.”
Furthermore, he said; “If government hesitate any further to protect the banks and our members, we may ask them to stay at home. We cannot continue going to work when our lives is not guaranteed. For some body to go to work in fear of attack it is not a situation we want to put our people into.
“We will call for a National Executive Council meeting of our union to deliberate and take a decide in view of the current situation to ask our members to stay off work. Already a lot of critical assists of banks has been destroyed and we will not wait till our members are being killed before we take action.
“We are also appealing to government to take charge and balance the situation for good because of the masses. The masses are suffering. We urged government to find a solution fast for sake of lives and properties in the country. It is recognized that the policy will eventually be beneficial to our economy but right now, the people are suffering seriously. So government must find a way to ensure that peace and order, and the citizens are not put into a terrible situation.”
Again she reiterated; “We call on Nigerians not mete their anger on banks staff, the critical facilities of the banks nor no any other assets of the country. Because violent attacks will worsen the situation and sabotage the processes that will help bring the situation to normalcy.
“Now that President Buhari has directed that old 200 Naira notes be rolled out to cushion the effects of the new notes scarcity, it will be wise if the CBN will massively make available the notes. It should be much available that every ATMs should be working effectively. The CBN and other related government agencies should mussel all their powers and give their best to ensure that this issue does not snowball into destructive crisis. A serious action and attention on the part of government will reduce all the tension.
“So we are appealing that the new new and old naira notes should run concurrently while the CBN gradually withdrews the old notes from circulation.
“We appeal to Nigerians that it is not by violent they can air their view and frustration. Do not destroy bank facilities, it will affect you eventually. If you destroy banks facilities in your area, you will have to go some where else to do your transactions. Which may cause your more, either time or money.
“We urged our members to thread with caution when going when going to work and closing.”
