Bank customers in Benin lament poor services, long queues at ATMs

By JOY ODIGIE

Bank customers in Benin, Edo, on Tuesday lamented the poor services being rendered by the financial institutions in the state.

Some of the customers, who shared their experiences with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin, expressed regret in their inability to withdraw or deposit cash in the banks.

They also decried their inability to withdraw money from some banks’ Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in the city.

The customers told NAN that the poor banking services had brought about long queues at the few ATMs dispensing cash in Benin City.

Long queues were seen at the ATMs in the GRA, Uselu-Ugbowo Road, Airport and Sapele Roads and Ikpoba Hill axis of the state.

It was observed that some of the banking premises were locked, while customers were given numbers before they could go into the banking halls of other banks.

NAN reports that many people therefore resorted to using POS and the operators took advantage of the situation to charge as high as N1,000 commission on every N10,000 withdrawn.

However, the POS operators at the Ikpoba Hill axis of the state capital were still charging between N100 and N200 for every N10,000 withdrawals.

Mr Moses Ogbe, a bank customer, who resides in the GRA, said he spent about three hours going to different ATMs before he could withdraw cash.

“I left my house as early as 7.00 a.m. to withdraw money, but all the ATM I visited were not dispensing cash.

“I drove down to the Airport Road and the situation was worse as long queues were seen at the few banks’ ATMs dispensing cash.

“I was told to pay N1,000 as commission to withdraw N10,000 at a POS at Ihama Road and I refused because it was on the high side.”

Ogbe appealed to the banks to load money into their ATMs so customers could have easy access to their money.

“I think the banks are scared of hoodlums breaking and looting money from the ATMs hence, they decided not to stock money in them.

“But peace and orderliness have been restored to the state, so we beg banks to resume their normal activities,” Ogbe said.

Another customer, Mrs Chioma Osas noted that banks now rendered skeletal services after the #EndSARS protests.

“Banks now close around 1.00 p.m. at the Ikpoba Hill area due to the destruction of some of their ATMs by hoodlums during the protests.

“Customers are given numbers as they enter the banks, while only a few people are allowed into the banking hall at a time,” she said. (NAN)