Mary Okeh, a bank customer, said the economic situation in the country needed urgent attention by the federal government.
The Point of Sale (PoS) operators in Abakaliki, Ebonyi capital, have expressed concern over the current naira scarcity, calling on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to intervene to save their business from collapsing.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abakaliki, they blamed the scarcity on “banks’ refusal to release enough money”.
NAN reports that the charge for withdrawal of between ₦1,000 and ₦5,000 is now ₦200 as against the normal charge of ₦100, while the charge for ₦10,000 stands at ₦300 as against ₦200.
Chinwe Okezie, PoS Operator along Mile 50 Layout, said they are paying more than what they used to pay before they could get cash from the bank.
According to Okezie, the high charge is not out of greed.
”The situation is biting harder on us than you customers, believe me. If we continue to charge the usual amount, many of us will not stay in the business,” he stated.
Another operator, Chidi Okafor, whose shop is along Kpirikpiri in Abakaliki, said the situation was worrisome and urged the CBN for immediate intervention.
”This issue of cash scarcity is caused by the banks. When you go to the bank and request for ₦500,000, what you will be given will be either ₦100,000 or ₦150,000. There are added charges too. So, you see the challenges.
”Many of the Automated Teller Machines, (ATMs) are not even dispensing cash. The few ones in some banks that are dispensing will give you the highest of N10,000 at the most,” Okafor added.
ATM points in some banks in Abakaliki like the First Bank, Zenith, and Ecobank, among others, were not dispensing cash due to the scarcity.
Mary Okeh, a bank customer, said the economic situation in the country needed urgent attention by the federal government.
“How can a bank hoard money that belongs to individuals at a time like this? No money, after you have tried to save it? This is not funny at all,” she stressed.
Efforts to speak with the bank officials were fruitless.
