A protracted COVID-19 emergency among its staffers has forced Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), owners of GT Bank, to impose a mandatory vaccination policy, with defaulters risking 50% pay cut.
A good number of its staffers had allegedly shown COVID-19 related symptoms among its workforce at the 42 Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island office in Lagos.
No fewer than 14 suspected COVID-19 cases were reported in that office while a staff member allegedly died after showing symptoms similar to COVID-19. The bank claimed the worker died of asthma attack.
However, the bank, in a September 13 internal memo titled ‘Deadline for Covid-19 Vaccination,’ the Operational Risk Management Team, Ajose Adeogun office in Lagos, notified all staff members of the new mandatory COVID-19 jab policy.
The memo partly reads: “All staff have been mandated to ensure they receive their vaccines in their various locations on/before 30th of September 2021.
“Please be informed that starting October 2021, any staff that fails to comply will no longer be allowed into the bank’s premises and may be place on half salary.”