Viral video: Fidelity Bank refutes claim of wrongful debit, says picketing exercise against ASWAMA
Fidelity Bank has denied that a video showing man dancing was a protest against its Bank, saying that the picketing was rather done against Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWAMA).
This was disclosed by the bank via a statement issued yesterday.
According to the bank in a statement, it refuted claims that the man was wrongfully debited by Fidelity bank adding that the picketing exercise was organised by the Almagamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil service Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE) over a dispute they have with Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWAMA).
It also accused the union of taking the law into its hands to attack Fidelity Bank despite that the motion of stay of execution is still pending and had not yet been heard and determine.
The statement read in part, “Our attention has been drawn to a video circulating online about a man signing at one of our branch.
“Contrary to the media report claiming that the man was wrongfully debited by the bank, the video is actually a picketing exercise organised by the Almagamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil service Technical and Recreational Employees over a dispute they have with Anambra State Waste Management Authority.”
Making reference to an earlier publication by the bank on the issue, it noted that although the union obtained a garnishee order against the account of Anambra State Government in Fidelity Bank, it is unable to honour it as the ASWAMA immediately filed a notice of appeal as well as motion for stay of execution of the order of court.
It said, “The union is aware of these processes as they were also served. The motion for stay of execution is still pending and had not yet been heard and determine when the union took the law into its hands to attack Fidelity Bank.”
The bank had earlier issued a statement on its website addressing the picketing of Fidelity Bank’s branches and offices nationwide by the AUPCTRE in an attempt to enforce a garnishee order absolute made by the National Industrial Court, Enugu.
The Union had approached the National Industrial Court, Enugu for the enforcement of an arbitral award obtained by the Union against the Anambra State Urban Water Holding Corporation and Anambra State Waste Management Authority by way of a garnishee order against the accounts of Anambra State Government in Fidelity Bank.
In a ruling delivered on January 11, 2022, the National Industrial Court, Enugu made the Garnishee Order Absolute against Fidelity Bank and another bank.
However, the Judgment Debtors, Anambra State Urban Water Holding Corporation and Anambra State Waste Management Authority, immediately filed a Notice of Appeal dated the 12th day of January 2022 as well as a Motion for Stay of Execution of the Order of Court dated the same 12th day of January 2022. The Union is aware of these processes as they were served on them.
The statement partly read; “As a law-abiding Corporate citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we are guided by the rule of law. Accordingly, where parties have submitted their process to the Court, such parties should follow the due process of the law to enforce their rights and not take the laws into their hands.
“It is also our view that picketing is an industrial dispute resolution mechanism that is reserved for the settlement of industrial disputes. Fidelity Bank has no industrial dispute with the Union as to warrant the picketing of any of our branches.
“Accordingly, the attack on our Bank by the Union is an irresponsible use of brute force by the Union on a law-abiding corporate citizen.”
“As a responsible financial organisation, we remain committed to the due process of the law, and we wish to assure all our customers of our unwavering commitment to providing them with superior service delivery.”
