Workers grumble as CBN transfers more staff from Abuja to Lagos

Members of staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, are expressing their worries over fresh moves by the apex bank management to transfer more of its workforce from the Abuja headquarters to Lagos.

TrackNews reports that in January, the CBN relocated some of its key departments from Abuja to Lagos, in a move that sparked disquiet across the financial and political sector.

The decision had also caused outrage from prominent Northern groups and politicians, who alleged that it would widen the economic disparity between the north and south.

But the CBN and federal government dismissed the allegations, saying the decision was taken to save costs and reposition the bank.

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But the latest move, it was gathered, had displeased some staff who found it unfavourable and inconvenient.

DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that some of those affected by the new transfer are a large number of staff of the departments of Human Resources, Security Services, ICT, Procurement and Support Services, and the Financial Policy and Regulations Department.

This newspaper gathered that some of the affected members of staff have already reported to their new Lagos duty post, while others have until April 29 to do so.

An insider source who spoke to TrackNews on the condition of anonymity had accused some top management staff of posting their “relatives and girls friends” to “choice departments,” unaffected by the transfers, while others were given unfavorable postings.

The source added that the new move may lead to almost equal staff strength between the headquarters and Lagos branch.

“The painful part of this is the fact that Dr. Bala Bello, the Deputy Governor Corporate Services, has been at the forefront of carrying out this movement, which seriously affects his fellow Northerners, but he doesn’t care.

“Sadly, while he carried out this action as a sincere move to reposition the bank, they are carefully and cleverly deploying their siblings and girl friends to a department that will be comfortable for them.

“Just recently, Bala deployed his younger brother Bashir Bello from the development finance department [a department whose staff are in constant fear of their fate] to the governors department.

“Another big girl who served in DFD’s director’s office was also moved to the Governor’s Department.

“All these are happening after the DG said no staff will be moved out of the department until management decides on their fate,” the source said.

Another insider source also alleged that the CBN hospital in Abuja has been operating without sufficient drugs, adding that most staff purchase prescribed drugs using their personal funds.

“While the new management had stifled the Abuja staff hospital of drugs to the extent most of them often buy prescribed drugs by themselves, there is enough medicine in Lagos,” said the source.

The source added that unlike the previous relocation, which was communicated to the staff through a general memo, the recent one was only addressed to directors of affected departments.

“In this case, only the directors of the concerned departments were communicated.

“They were given directives to submit the names of a certain number of their staff for the deployment.

Meanwhile, attempts to get the reaction of the CBN spokesperson, Hakama Sidi-Ali, proved abortive.

But a top management staff of the bank had dismissed the claims of bias in the new transfer, saying it was a routine administrative procedure, which is the prerogative of the employer.

“What’s unusual about the transfer of staff? Let me tell you that the issue of bias is clearly out of it. It is a clear administrative procedure.

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“I don’t understand why people would give strange connotations to a simple policy aimed at increasing the productivity of the bank.

The manager further blamed staff who are too comfortable in their zone of spreading mischievous information against the bank.

On the poor medical facility, the top CBN staff stressed that the organization doesn’t joke with the health and welfare of its personnel.

He, however, attributed the drug shortage to recent public holidays, which he said affected distribution.

“There was a public holiday, and we had challenges from the distributors, but the issues weren’t as bad as these staff are alleging. Everybody knows that the management prioritises the welfare of staff, and we don’t joke with it.

“There is also a policy of routine medical checks in the banks to ensure the well being of every staff member. So it’s uncharitable to make such baseless allegations against the management”, he said.