The Lower Chamber is set to probe money deposit banks (MDBs) for violating the rights of their marketers by setting unrealistic and outrageous deposit targets for them.
The lawmakers lamented that when the workers failed to meet the targets, they were usually subjected to harassment, intimidation, demotion and summary dismissal by the management.
The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Segun Adekola (APC, Lagos), who described the trend as a breach of the dignity of the human person and of labour. He said it negates the concept of decent work Agenda of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
He said: “Banks give their employees targets to bring in unrealistic and unattainable irrational deposits ranging from millions to billions of naira, within a time frame ranging from one to six months.
“These banks resort to unethical means to ensure that the targets are met by either explicitly or implicitly encouraging their workers, especially the female ones to engage in indecent behaviours to attract the deposits.
“Many banks are guilty of enslavement through the policy of causalisation of workers without adequate welfare packages, high level of stagnation without promotion, discriminatory practices against female workers, long working hours and vicious dismissal policies.”
House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, in his contribution regretted that the unwholesome practices of the banks was defended during a public hearing when a similar bill he sponsored in the last Assembly scaled second reading.
Gbajabiamila at the hearing said female management workers of some of the banks said female workers were not compelled to ‘solicit’ for deposits.
Saying such practices could not be replicated by the banks that have branches abroad and other banks operating in the country with foreign affiliation, the Minority Leader urged the House to rise up and do something to enforce the dignity of labour.
“Many of the banks have footprints abroad where they cannot engage in such practices, but here, their workers throng the corridors of power, knocking at doors and seeking deposits from clients. Women are victims, but we also have young men who are victims too,” he said.
On her part, Nnnena Ukeje (PDP, Abia) said the House may not be able to legislate on the matter, but could appeal to the moral conscience of the banks management on how un-dignifying their policies are since prostitution has different forms.