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UNI Apro Finance President Masakzu Tahara joins in UNI Finance Eco Bank Global Campaign.

The new UNI Apro Finance President Tahara visited the Embassy of the Republic of Togo and met Mr. Steve A.D. Aklesso BODJONA, the acting ambassador of the country in Japan.

Tahara was there to handover a solidarity letter, signed in his capacity as the President of UNI Apro Finance, inviting attention of Togolese government towards the unfair labour practices of Eco Bank. 

Tahara is responding to UNI Finance’s global solidarity campaign for Ecobank workers in their struggle for their right to organize and to have Collective Bargaining to be recognised. 

Ecobank workers are deterred from joining unions as they fear dismissal or unsolicited transfers from the local management. Ecobank’s local management is also against conducting social dialogue with unions, systematically refusing all requests to meet or discuss labour issues with trade unions.

Ecobank is the leading and largest African bank responsible for increasing financial inclusion in Africa and has a culture that is open to developing broader Social Dialogue.

Ecobank is also a partner of the International Financial Corporation (IFC), putting into practice the policy developed by the World Bank to increase development and to reduce poverty among African countries. 

UNI Finance affiliates were requested to call on Togolese Embassies in their respective countries and deliver a letter to the ambassador calling the Eco Bank management to respect trade union and workers’ rights across their operations in Africa. 

Mr. Bodjona promised to convey UNI Finance message to the Togolese government. He explained s that the bank was originally created by a Togolese and a Nigerian. The bank has grown to have its branches in 33 African countries and now it is the largest bank in Western Africa.