NAN-H-70
ATMs
Abakaliki, Dec. 13, 2016 (NAN) Customers at most banks Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in Abakaliki on Tuesday waited for hours to withdraw their money but could not due to network problem.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who monitored the development, reports that anxious customers who thronged the banks ATMs expressed their frustrations because of the development.
They therefore appealed to the bank authorities to urgently address the issue.
Mr Augustine Igbo told NAN that he was at the United Bank for Africa (UBA) early in the morning but was shocked at the huge crowd waiting for network availability to collect their money.
“I came here as early as 8 a.m. and as you can see I am still waiting just as this huge crowd here is waiting and hoping that network could connect so that we can take our money.
“I came to withdraw money and to get back to the office because I do not have any money on me to take care of some family needs.
“I am not happy with the ugly situation but I have no choice but to wait for network to normalise so that I can withdraw and go back to the office,” Igbo said.
Igbo regretted that the bank was usually affected by regular network problems, especially during weekends and in festive periods.
Another customer at the same bank, Mr Cornelius Asogwa decried the situation and called on the appropriate authorities to come to the rescue of stranded customers at the ATM centres.
“The incessant network failures in bank ATMs especially at weekends and festive holidays are affecting customers’ confidence in the use of ATMs for cash transactions.
“Again anytime there is network collapse, customers who are withdrawing amounts less than N100, 000 cannot be allowed to transact at the bank counter but will be made to wait for network to connect.
“The crowd you see here is all waiting for network to be restored and large human resource and manpower is being lost,” Asogwa said.
At the First City Monument Bank (FCMB), an unprecedented number of people queued on the line waiting anxiously for network to be restored.
Some customers who spoke to NAN said that they also arrived at the bank early in the morning.
They also said that no explanation had been offered to the stranded customers by bank officials.
Messrs Anthony Igwe, Chiekezie Arua and Pius Ibiam who were at the bank to withdraw money complained about their frustration and demanded that the situation be urgently addressed.
A similar scenario was also seen at the Keystone Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Access bank, all located along Ogoja Road in Abakaliki.
Efforts by NAN to speak with officials of the various banks were fruitless as they insisted that only their head offices had powers to speak on any issue affecting operations in their banks. (NAN)
ODO /DOR/GY
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Edited by Nyisom/Grace Yussuf