Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Customers of commercial banks in Enugu State have expressed their frustrations and disappointment over inadequacies of the activities of commercial banks in the state.
In separate interviews in Enugu some bank customers decried the ineptitude of the banks in their dealings with customers.
Some of the customers lamented that while the failed cash swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has relapsed commercial banks are now struggling to cope with the aftermath.
A customer, Mrs Florentine Ogbodo, said she transferred money through a PoS from her bank since March, adding that while the transfer was not successful she was debited by her bank.
She said that the money was meant to pay for her sachet water supply.
“Till today, I have been going to my bank for a reverse of the money but I only get promises that it will be reversed after seven days, but as I speak, I have seen nothing.
“I have requested for my transaction ID but the bank said their printing machine had broken down. I am still waiting,” she said.
Ogbodo lamented that the money which was meant for her petty trading.
“Because of the situation, I am now taking short time loans with high interest rates to continue my business pending the reversal,” she said.
Also speaking, Chijioke Eze, a public servant said he went to his bank to reactivate his Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Card which expired in February.
According to him, he was told by his bank that there was no functional machine to reactivate his ATM card.
“I was told that their machine was faulty. I was then given a form to fill and take to any branch that has machine to activate my card.
“I felt frustrated, embarrassed and utterly disappointed, in fact, I collected the form and refused to fill it, it is still with me,” he said.
Mr Elijah Chukwu, a businessman at Awkunanaw area of Enugu also complained bitterly about his transferred monies that have remained hanging for over a week.
“Honestly, I am not happy about the situation of things in this country.
“Imagine that over N30,000 paid to me through transfers by customers since last week I can’t see anything.
“This is money for business; it is very frustrating. People transfer money and showed it was successful and I saw it debited from their accounts and nothing in my account.
“I just went to the bank yesterday and was asked to fill form as usual but till now nothing has entered my account.
“Look at my showcase, I am not able to buy chickens to sell,” he said.
Mr Ugwuanyi Sylvester also told Ikengaonline that he went to Ogbete Market to purchase some text books for his children but could not because the seller refused to accept transfer.
“After selecting the books that I wanted for my children, when I wanted to make transfer, the book seller refused.”
He said that all the transfers made to him in the past one week have not delivered.
“That was how I, shamefully and embarrassingly dropped the books and left,” he said.
Ikengaonline reports that the problem cuts across all the commercial banks in Enugu.
However, a staff of one of the banks who spoke on the condition of anonymity admitted that the banks were overstretched and many of them were struggling to cope.
According to him, “the public should bear with us, the banks did not expect what happened the last time and, to be frank, it took a toll on the banking operations nationwide.
“We did not envisage the pressure that was brought to bear on the banking operations by the cash policy.”
He expressed optimism that the problems would be over soon.
“I am sure the problems are going to be over as normalcy gradually returns to the sector,” he said.
