Business
COVID vaccine: FBN joins GTbank, others, issues ultimatum to workers
By Odunewu Olusegun
Financial institutions in Nigeria have started subtle moves with threats of victimization to force vaccination among their workers despite the wide criticisms and reported adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines across the world.
In the US alone, over 800,000 victims of COVID vaccine effects have been documented by the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The data included a total of 17,128 reports of deaths.
National Daily gathered that despite the fact that producers of these vaccines make governments signed that their organizations wouldn’t be liable for any adverse effects; several banks in the country have encouraged workers to take the vaccines via a persuasive effort.
READ ALSO: Vaccinated individuals at higher risk of COVID infection, says report
FBN and even GTbank took a more intimidating approach by threatening to take ‘appropriate actions’ against workers who aren’t vaccinated by August 30th, 2021.
In a circular seen by National Daily, First Bank Nigeria Holdings Informed all its staff that only employees who have been vaccinated would be granted access into the office, in other words, those not vaccinated should not bother to come to work from November 1st, 2021.
In the memo, FBN directed that unvaccinated employees would be required to present a negative PCR result on a weekly basis before they are granted access into the office, and that the cost of the PCR tests would be funded by the affected staff.
Standard Chartered Bank and some other financial institutions in the country have also compelled their employees to get vaccinated or face sanctions.
It would be recalled that Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, owners of GT Bank had last month threatened to put employees who failed to get vaccinated on half salary.
READ ALSO: Experts highlight COVID vaccines danger to health of children
The bank through an internal Memo, titled ‘Deadline for Covid-19 Vaccination and dated September, 13, 2021, which was sent by the bank’s Operational Risk Management Team, Ajose Adeogun office in Lagos, mandated all employees to get vaccinated on/before 30th of September 2021.
“Please be informed that starting October 2021, any staff that fails to comply will no longer be allowed into the bank’s premises and may be placed on half salary,” the news site said.
A staff of the bank who craved for anonymity said he had been worried since he received the email from the Human Resource manager because he was abreast of the multiple challenges and adverse effects on some persons who have taken the COVID-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, the Deputy General Secretary, National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFE), Comrade Sola Aboderin assured that the union would kick against any form of victimization or dismissal of workers by Nigerian banks over COVID-19 vaccination.
“I didn’t take the vaccines because I chose not to. If I want to travel out of Nigeria and the foreign country has vaccination as a requirement, I could decide to take it or not. While I recognize the foreign country’s policy, it is my choice to decide if I would take the vaccines to have access to the country to stay back in Nigeria,” he said.
READ ALSO: Despite $500 incentive, NYC workers resist COVID-19 vaccine mandate
A legal practitioner, Dan Udey, described the move by the banks as illegal and wicked, advising any victim of such victimization or dismissal over vaccination should approach the court
“Besides COVID-19, there is no law in Nigeria that compels any form of vaccination. COVID-19 virus is like any other virus or disease; there is Polio but nobody was compelled into vaccination for that.
According to the CDC, 475 cases of pericarditis and myocarditis have been identified in vaccinated citizens aged 30 and younger. There is also recent research on the COVID-19 vaccine indicating that it is also dangerous for those who have already had COVID, with higher rates of side effects such as fever, fatigue, myalgia-arthralgia and lymphadenopathy.