Workers of the Agricultural Development Bank (abd) are divided over a directive by the Union of Industry Commerce and Finance (UNICOF) for a sit down strike today [Thursday].
The protest was to press home their demand for the removal of their Managing Director and the dissolution of the bank’s board.
This they say is to allow the Bank of Ghana conduct investigations into allegations of financial malfeasance leveled against the MD and the board.
[contextly_sidebar id=”GUwjQEg5ebOw2YF76hKRZunMugXBtqON”]The bank has subsequently issued a statement assuring customers that all of its branches are opened and operating contrary to the claims by UNICOF.
However, Citi News checks across the country also showed that, not all workers at the bank’s seventy-eight branches have heeded to the call.
Ashanti Region
From the Ashanti Region, Correspondent, Hawa Iddrisu reported from the Adum branch of the bank and observed that out of four tellers, only one was in her cubicle.
“About 30 customers were also seen in a long queue outside the banking hall.
Meanwhile, the upper road branch of the bank was closed as at the time I visited the premises in the morning. Workers can be seen sitting idle with virtually nothing to do,” she observed.
Upper West Region
Correspondent Mahama Latif reported from the Upper West Regional capital, Wa that workers of the bank are religiously observing the strike.
He observed that “customers were complaining because they were not allowed into the banking hall. Officials of the bank are unwilling to talk to me. I tried to get access into the banking hall but I was prevented. Red band has been tied to the gates of the bank.”
Northern Region
From Tamale, the regional capital of the Northern Region, Abdul Karim Naatogmah reported that “the Tamale main branch of adb has been shut down and some of the staff were found loitering around. … Some people have amassed at the premises of the bank to withdraw their salaries only to realize that the bank has been shut down.”
Greater Accra Region
Norvan Acquah Hayford reported that several branches including the Adabraka and Ringroad Central branches were closed.
“The workers were around but nobody was allowed inside the banking hall. Interestingly when I got to Osu, the workers were not working but the customers were allowed in. They told me their system was down and that’s why there are not working,” he added.
abd head office
Norvan Acquah Hayford also observed that at the head office branch of adb at the Accra Financial Center, “the branch was opened and customers were allowed to transact business.”
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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana