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- Ex-banker bows to pressure, suspends hunger strike
Posted by : Unknown
Monday, November 26, 2012
Olubiyi
Odunaro, the 53-year-old former employee of Hallmark Bank Plc.,
protesting against non-payment of his terminal benefit, on Monday
suspended his 14-day hunger strike.
The
suspension of the protest followed spirited appeal by a representation
from the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, and officials from the
Lagos office of the Public Complaints Commission.
Senior
Special Assistant to Fashola on Justice Sector Reforms, Lanre Akinsola,
who led a team of legal, welfare and medical officials to the tent
Odunaro had turned to his home on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Lagos,
promised to intervene.
Akinsola
said, “The attention of the Lagos State Government was drawn to the
various media reports about the protest being embarked upon by Odunaro
and it’s quite pathetic.
“Governor
Fashola who was worried about his state of health formed an
inter-ministerial committee comprising medical, legal and welfare
officials and directed me to lead the team to persuade him to end his
hunger strike.
“As
a responsible government we don’t want a dead casualty in our hands as a
result of this protest. Once he ends this protest, we would first
provide him medical service while the Lagos State Directorate of
Citizens Rights would engage the authorities concerned in a
comprehensive dialogue.”
Akinsola
said the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade
Ipaye, had given him his word on free legal services to Odunaro and
other ex-workers of non-consolidated banks seeking the payment of their
entitlements if the negotiations become unfruitful.
“We
will mediate and talk to the right people and we believe reason will
prevail in this matter and if not, lawyers from the Lagos State Ministry
of Justice will work in conjunction with the lawyer of the group and
ensure that justice prevails and everyone of them gets their
entitlement,” he added.
John Ogunniyi, who led a legal team from the Public Complaints Commission, implored Odunaro to end the hunger strike.
He
said, “The Lagos Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission,
Funso Olukoga, sends his word that you end this protest and go back home
while we look into your complaints.
“We’ve listened to the complaints and we are going back to report to the commissioner and see the best we can do concerning it.
“We
are making this appeal because of your health and the negative
consequences it may have on you. The commissioner has given us the
authority to ensure that the matter is resolved.”
After
persuasion and engagement by the state officials and consultation with
members of the Association of Ex-Staff of Non-Consolidated Bank, who had
gathered at the site which lasted for about three hours, Odunaro who
clocked 53 on Monday announced the suspension of the protest.
He
said, “This struggle is not only about myself; it’s about the right of
over 14,000 ex-workers of non-consolidated banks who are ably
represented here today.
“The
Lagos State Government and the PCC have given me and my people their
word and I would hold on to it. My other colleagues too have appealed to
me to give the state government the opportunity to play their part in
this matter.
“In
view of this, I announce the suspension of my hunger strike for two
weeks to enable me to go for medical treatment and allow the state
government play its part in this debacle.”
President,
Association of Ex-Staff of Non-Consolidated Bank, Magnus Maduka, said,
“We will be leveraging on the clout of the state government and the
promises of the Public Complaints Commission to get our entitlements
which we have been fighting for for about seven years.”
As
soon as he announced the suspension, the medical team from the Lagos
State Ambulance Service who had been waiting for hours led him into an
ambulance marked LA 167 A08 at about 3:09pm and took him to the Medical
Emergency of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for medical
attention.
Punch Nigeria
Click to see previous story on his claim: Ex-banker on hunger strike, sleeps on the street
Click to see previous story on his claim: Ex-banker on hunger strike, sleeps on the street