Ecobank sacks officials, engages 200 out-sourced personnel

Ecobank Nigeria yesterday said its drive for optimal performance and realigned roles bank-wide aimed at ensuring efficiency, dictated the sacking of some members of staff, although they have been adequately compensated.

However, the bank said it converted over 200 outsourced personnel to permanent employees of the bank, as part of the bank’s drive to attract and reward talent while also repositioning for improved efficiency. In line with its recognition of excellence, the bank also recently implemented a merit pay increase for the top performers across all cadres.

The Managing Director of the bank, Charles Kie said converting qualified outsourced staff to permanent staff is in line with the bank’s commitment to develop and grow talent by nurturing its people along their career paths and giving them access to higher responsibilities.

He noted that the measures so far were in furtherance of a market repositioning exercise designed to strengthen the bank’s business across all markets where it operates.

Kie emphasized that the Ecobank Group is on a trajectory to achieve leadership, with Ecobank Nigeria remaining one of ETI’s major affiliates, as well as one of Nigeria’s Systemically Important financial institutions.

“Our focus is to improve the quality of service to our customers as well as our operational efficiency. “We understand that people are our key asset, so we have emphasized the need to reward our best performers, continue to re-invigorate our people while also opening up new opportunities for talented, committed people to join us as permanent employees.

“At the same time, based on our repositioning plan, we had to disengage some staff while ensuring that, in line with industry standards, they are treated fairly,” adding that Ecobank is an institution where high professional culture, exceptional performance, innovativeness and professionalism are recognised, nurtured and rewarded.

The bank said that in its last appraisal, only 200 staffers whose performance were adjudged to be lower than the minimum required to drive its strategic growth plan for the business year were relieved, with the opportunity to seek employment in other organizations where their respective skills set and individual performances could be enhanced and optimised.