Bank of Agriculture vows to embark on indefinite strike over delayed promotion

By Festus Ahon, ASABA

The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI and National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, NUBIFIE, Bank of Agriculture, BOA unit, have threatened to embark on indefinite strike with effect from 11th November over management’s refusal to release promotion letters to their members.

Bank of Agriculture main entrance

The two unions in a joint statement issued by President of ASSBIFI, Nakaka Hussaini, General Secretary, Anyebe Peter Idoga, Chairman of NUBIFIE, Abu Huang and General Secretary, Joshua Gogna Diko, lamented that management had promised to release promotion on four different occasions but failed to do so after promotion examination in June 2018.

They said: “management had always used lack of fund as an excuse for their failure to release the promotion but on the ‘do and don’ts’ of Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE.

“However, we know that the rules have serially been violated by management without recourse to BPE on the following issues such as; Recruitment of new staff, Capital Expenditure, Change in the structure of the Bank.

“We have exhausted all avenues for peaceful resolution of the issue in context and other reasons, the congress directed that a 21-day ultimatum be issued to management”, adding that additional 10 days was given at the end of the 21 days ultimatum following management plea.

Saying management met with both unions, ASSBIFI and NUBIFIE on the 25 October 2019 and an agreement were reached to meet the demands of the workers, they said; “following the agreement reached management pleaded for 10 to meet with the Banks stakeholders for the approval of our demands.

“However at the expiration of the 10 none of the agreement reached was met by management. Instead, they are requesting for additional 10. days extension, which was rejected and extension not granted”.