The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has called for a closer look at the phenomenon of outsourced or contract staff in banks to ensure healthy and sound practices in the banking industry.

NDIC Managing Director and Chief Executive, Alh. Umaru Ibrahim, made the call in Abuja during a courtesy call on him by the President and other Council Members of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).

The NDIC boss said bank examination reports had indicated that the high incidences of fraud and forgeries in the banking system had been linked to outsourced or contract staff.

Alh. Umaru also said that in as much as regulators appreciated the necessity for banks tocut costs, it was incumbent on all stakeholders to fashion out capacity building and other strategies to motivate all employees to contribute positively rather than engaging in criminal acts that impact adversely on the entire banking system.

The NDIC CEO also expressed concern about the plight of female employees in the banking industry. He noted that banks often engaged female employees and set for them very high targets on deposit mobilisation and other asset creation ventures, which put undue pressure on the female employees.

According to him, although some improvement had been recorded with regard to the situation, there was still need to provide a more conducive working environment in order to attract and retain a talented female workforce in the sector.

Responding, the President of the Institute, Otunba (Mrs) Debola Osibogun, regretted that over 75 per cent of fraud cases in the sector had been traced to outsourced bank staff who were neither professionals nor members of the CIBN.

While noting that the Institute had no control over the banks, Otunba (Mrs) Osibogun disclosed that a committee of the Institute was already working with heads of operations of banks on the challenges being posed bythe outsourced staff and would soon submit its report to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for consideration.

The CIBN president also said the Institute had been mandated as the agency for competency framework for banking industry by the CBN, adding that the CIBN had visited banks’ academies and had issued accreditation certificate to the academies of the First Bank, Access bank and Guarantee Trust Bank.

To further strengthen professionalism in the sector, Otunba (Mrs) Osibogun said that the Institute had harmonised the industry code of conduct which had been signed by all workers of deposit money banks, adding that the institute was seeking co-operation of microfinance banks’ workers to sign the document

According to her, the CIBN had strengthened its alliances with reputable local and foreign tertiary institutions for the linkage of its Associate Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB) programmes.

She commended the Management of NDIC for its continuous support to the Institute and the Corporation’s strategic investment in its human resources.

•Photo showsNDIC MD/CE Alh. Umaru Ibrahim (4th from right) in a group photograph with the President/Chairman of Council of CIBN, Otunba (Mrs.) 'Debola Osibogun (3rd Right) during a courtesy call by the executive members of the CIBN on the Corporation. Also from left to right are CIBN Registrar / Chief Executive, Mr. Seye Awojobi, NDIC Executive Director Operations, Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, CIBN 2nd Vice President, Dr. Uche Olowu, NDIC Executive Director Corporate Services, Hon. (Mrs.) Omolola Abiola Edewor, CIBN 1st Vice President, Deacon Segun Ajibola and Chairman, CIBN Abuja Branch, Sir Steve Nwadiuko.