Several employees of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have expressed their concern and fear due to the ongoing dismissal of staff since the appointment of Dr Olayemi Cardoso as the Governor.
According to Daily Trust, the CBN workers have stated that no department is exempt from the continuous dismissals that are currently plaguing the apex bank.
The employees’ reaction comes after another 50 of their colleagues were dismissed on Monday. In the last 20 days, approximately 117 people have been dismissed, spanning 29 departments. The list of those affected includes directors, deputy directors, assistant directors, principal managers, senior managers, and lower-ranking staff.
One employee stated, “Indiscriminate dismissals have been seen in the procurement, development finance, and medical services departments. This suggests that other departments will soon follow suit. I am concerned that they will also come for those who have worked closely with the dismissed directors. This apprehension is bad for productivity and the system.”
Another senior staff member stated, “Many who received their dismissal letter simply remained quiet and left their respective offices. They feel powerless in the face of the system’s structure.”
Since his appointment, Dr Olayemi Cardoso has brought about many changes to the CBN, with policies and personnel differing from those of his embattled predecessor, Godwin Emefiele. Even the vendors have expressed their dissatisfaction, with some whose contracts with the CBN ended last June, still awaiting payment. This is due to suspicions that they may have benefited from Emefiele’s management.
