Access Bank Speaks On Laying Off 75% Staff, Closing 300 Branches

Access Bank has debunked the news going rounds that the bank will lay off 75 per cent of his workforce and closing of over 300 branches due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Brandnewsday reports that Access Bank in a statement released on Monday and signed by its management tagged the news making wave as a ‘rumour’ and disclosed that the closure of any Nigerian bank branch requires the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

According to the bank, it has not applied for nor obtained the approval of CBN for the closure of its branches as widely speculated.

The statement partly reads: “The bank has only suspended operations in some branches following the directive by the CBN.

Access Bank Sacks: Access Bank Speaks On Sacking Staffs

“At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, we suspended in-branch operations at different locations as directed by the CBN and in line with business continuity plans at vulnerable spots; whilst we continued to provide services through our alternative digital platforms.

“In line with the phased re-opening of the economy effective May 4, following the Presidential directives, we will be resuming in-branch services in some of our affected branches in a programmed manner to ensure the health and safety of our employees and customers.

“This is also necessary to provide relevant contingency should there be any incident arising from the pandemic.”

The statement further reads: “We deny in its entirety the baseless and twisted speculation that the bank is sacking 75 per cent of its workforce.”

Read: Access Bank’s CEO Herbert Wigwe Announces 40% Pay Cut For Staff Or…

Access Bank further revealed that that based on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, not all its branches would be fully open for in-branch services until later in the year.

“This has made it impossible for many of our outsourced workers to perform duties as usual.

“We have commenced engagement with various stakeholders with a view to ensuring that they provide the relevant services and optimum manpower as may be required by the bank on an on-going basis,” it added. The bank, however, assured its esteemed stakeholders that it would continue to ensure that its actions and decisions are guided by fairness, justice, equity and good conscience,” the statement ended.