23rd July, 2014
Ms Olubunmi Abikoye, the Chairperson, Lagos State Women’s Wing of the Nigeria Labour Congress, on Tuesday said the banking sector was denying women their right to dignity and marriage.
Abikoye told NAN that the violation contravened the 1999 Nigeria Constitution which promotes dignity of human beings. “When you seek an employment in the banking sector bank now, the first thing is – how old are you? You tell them your age; the next thing is: Are you single?
“Then, you are going to sign an undertaking that in the next three years, you will not get married, talk less of having baby. Why?,” she asked.
“Is that how banking industry has been run in those days? What has befallen on us? Because, they will not allow you to settle down, you will not enjoy your womanhood; they will waste a lot of your time.
“Somebody who gets a job at the age of 30, you are saying she cannot get married talk less of having issues because of the job.
“So, is it the job that is important or the life of that person? They want women to use them for business.
“What are they promoting? They are promoting corruption because they want to meet target; that is a bad thing in the society.
“The management of the banking sector should wake up and do what is right.”
Abikoye said that the state wing of the congress was working with various women’s groups to identify other areas where women’s rights were being violated so as to tackle them.