Depositors want CBN to address ATMs failures

Some bank customers in the South-East have urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to compel commercial banks to urgently address challenges facing transactions with ATMs at weekends and national public holidays

The customers made the appeal in separate interviews on Monday while expressing frustration, anger and anxiety due to the poor performance of the ATMs in banks during the long Eid-el-kabir holidays.

In Abakaliki, there were long queues at many ATM points during the holidays due to network failures and cash shortages.

NAN reports that customers were seen shuttling from one bank to another in efforts to make withdrawals.

But bank officials attached to the ATMs declined to make comments.

Customers have questioned the CBN for encouraging the banking public to use electronic payment system when they could not fix the problems associated with the e-banking.

Mr Charles Eze, who spoke to NAN at one of the commercial banks at Ogoja Road in Abakaliki, said that he was at the bank since 9.00a.m, but said that network had been on and off, keeping customers waiting and frustrated.

“I am here to withdraw money for the family needs, but I cannot; it is frustrating indeed.

“It is sad that we are still experiencing this kind of situation. It is important that the banks deploy robust technologies for e-banking,” Eze said.

Another depositor, Mrs Eucharia Agbo, urged bank operators to find lasting solution to the problems Nigerians were facing in using e-banking platforms for cash transactions, especially during the weekends and public holidays.

Agbo, a teacher in Model Urban Secondary School, Abakaliki, said network failures and cash shortages at ATMs being experienced by the customers had become a regular feature during weekend periods and public holidays.

Lawrence Obiekwena and Magnus Okereke, civil servants narrating their harrowing experiences, said that it was time Nigerian banks prepared for situations like this.

“This kind of thing cannot happen in the developed economy. Nigeria banks lack customer-care.

Malam Danjuma Ibrahim, a ram seller at the Abakaliki cattle market who was the Ecobank to make withdrawal, said that he had been on the queue for more than 30 minutes to withdraw cash for the Eid celebration.

(NAN)