There is an uneasy calm at the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending, NIRSAL Plc, following the reported sacking of 500 staff from the company.
NIRSAL is a non-bank financial institution owned by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that the affected officials are mostly contract workers who have been working for the company since 2017.
An inside source told our correspondent that the affected workers include head field officer, administrative officers, senior field officers and field officers.
According to him, most of them were anticipating contract renewal after an appraisal from Human Resource when the heartbreaking news of their dismissal reached them.
The source, however, said they were paid one-month salaries in lieu.
“They paid us one month’s salary, but with the biting economy, what can that do for us? At least if they can’t reinstate us, we should be given something better to start a new life,” he said.
An email sent to all the affected personnel and sighted by our correspondent said their current contract expires on 29, February,2024.
“Dear NFO, we regret to inform you that your contract with NIRSAL Plc expires on the 29th of February 2024.
“Consequently, please find attached a scanned copy of your letter to that effect, while the physical copy will be delivered to you via courier.
“Kindly endeavour to handover to the most senior NIRSAL employee in your state/zone, along with your ID card and work tools.
“It has been a pleasure working with you, and we wish you the very best in your future endeavours. Warm regards,” the email reads.
Another insider said the move might not be unconnected to the clandestine plot by some forces to reduce the number of Northerners working in the company.
“NIRSAL has about 900 staff, and 500 of them are contract staff. And these contract staff are the heartbeat of the company.
“They have helped the company achieve their KPIs. We are still trying to make sense of these sudden decisions by the company.
“But the truth is that most of the people working here are Northerners, and there has been a wide insinuation of plots to drastically reduce the numbers,” said the source.
Our correspondent, however, gathered that the management of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has intervened in the matter.
“The CBN is aware of the incident, and I can assure you that the management will intervene,” the source said.
When contacted, NIRSAL spokesperson, Jude Nnadozie, dismissed the report.
“The report is not true, Nobody has been fired, all our staff are intact,” Mr Nnadozie said.
DAILY NIGERIAN reliably gathered that after the reversal of the sack, the affected workers would soon be issued a fresh contract letter.
