House of Reps accuse banks of enslaving their staff

The House of Representatives on Tuesday, mandated its Committee on Banking and Currency to investigate alleged unwholesome practices of unrealistic targets commercial banks gave to their employees.

The house said that it planned to put an end to the practice.

This followed a motion sponsored by Rep. Segun Adekola (PDP-Ogun) on the need to curb unwholesome practices of banks in Nigeria. The motion was unanimously adopted by members through a voice vote.

Moving the motion, Adekola said, "a critical assessment of the targets being given to these employees to meet seems to be unrealistic, unreasonable, ordinarily unattainable and irrational.

"The banks resort to unethical means to ensure that the targets are met by either explicitly or impliedly encouraging their staff, especially the female ones, to engage in illicit behaviour to attract the deposits."

He described the acts by the banks as enslavement, saying that the banks did not provide adequate welfare packages for the workers.

"This trend is an outright breach of the dignity of the human person and of labour, negates the concepts of decent work agenda of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which Nigeria is a member.’’

Also contributing, Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the situation had led to the destruction of some homes, adding that it had made some young men to become ‘’victims of richer women’’.

"I don't think you will want your daughter to go out knocking on doors and soliciting for funds," Gbajabiamila said.

After the debate, the house mandated its Banking and Currency Committee to investigate the practices and report back within one month.