Fidelity Bank has reacted to the viral video of a full music band performing in front of one of its branches in Anambra.
The bank in a statement on Tuesday said the protest was not organized by its customer, but the Almagamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil service Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE) which was picketing the band over a dispute they have with Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWAMA).
The bank refuted it had anything to do with questionable debit.
Fidelity accused the union of taking the law into its hands to attack Fidelity Bank despite knowing that the hands of the bank were tied as a result of a motion of stay of execution which was yet to be heard and determined.
The bank admitted that the union obtained a garnishee order against the account of Anambra State Government in Fidelity Bank, but stressed that it is unable to honour it as the ASWAMA immediately filed a notice of appeal as well as a motion for stay of execution of the order of court.
“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 determined 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.
It is not known why the union is not picketing the other 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 motion for stay of execution is still pending and has not yet been heard and determined when the Union took the law into its hands to attack Fidelity Bank.
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 organization, 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.”
