Absence of Cardoso, Labour Minister stalls planned probe of over 1,000 CBN staff retirement

The House of Representatives on Friday flagged off the investigative hearing into the planned retirement of over 1,000 staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with the promise to ensure a fair hearing to all parties.

Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Hon. Bello Kumo, who gave the assurance while addressing various stakeholders invited to provide necessary information, expressed displeasure over the absence of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Dingyadi, and CBN Governor, Mr. Yemi Cardoso.

Hon. Kumo Bello, who doubles as Majority Chief Whip, read the Riot Act to the duo, warning that the committee would be left with no choice but to sanction government officials who failed to honour the committee’s invitation.

He said a new date for the hearing would be communicated to them in due course.

“We are guided by our laws. We will not allow anybody to take us for granted. Let me be clear on this: any day we fix again, and any of the organisations that refuse to show up, we will apply the law.

“The committee would not shirk its responsibility in not only ensuring fair hearing to all parties involved in the saga,” he said.

While delivering his keynote address, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas acknowledged that the impact of the CBN action would be felt by not only the individual workers affected and their families, but the whole country.

He charged the committee to do due diligence in ascertaining the formula used in computing the N50 billion pay-off amount to the affected workers.

While stressing the need to ensure due process is adhered to, Speaker Abbas also charged the committee to ensure that the decision to relieve the workers of their jobs aligns with global best practices and extant provisions of the law.

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