Banks consolidation: Disengaged bankers demand payment of N9.8bn terminal benefits

A GROUP of ex-bankers disengaged during the 2005 bank consolidation by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene over the non-payment of their N9.8 billion terminal benefits.Operating under the aegis of the Association of Ex-staff of Non-consolidated Banks of Nigeria, they made the appeal through their counsel, Emerson Azubuike.Theappeal was contained in a statement entitled: 'Ominous silence: an SOS call by members of the association to the president and his cabinet members' and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Umuahia.The statementnoted that the group expressed regret that the President and his cabinet, including the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim,had yet to act on the matter.Itexplained that the amount being demanded was only two per cent of the N400 billion released by the CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi,as lifeline to banks that were 'not properly' consolidated.The statementexpressed concern that while the CBN governor released the money without recourse to any legislation, he refused to release funds for the payment of the benefits as requested bythe National Deposit Insurance Commission (NDIC).According to the statement, the disengaged bankers, numbering 14,000, enjoined the President to consider their plight, in line with his assurance that he meant well for Nigerians.'We, therefore, appeal to him and his able lieutenants to match their words with action via our letter dated December 13, 2011, by approving and recommending toCBN/NDIC to pay our terminal benefits,'the statement stated.
Click here to read full news..