The
call by the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON), a non-profit
making organisation for bank customers, to shun banking services
Tuesday in order to protest the implementation of the stamp duty charge
and other charges by commercial banks was completely ignored by residents in
Lagos and Abuja, the federal capital territory, findings by THISDAY revealed.
It
was business as usual in all the banking halls visited as well as banking
transaction channels including Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), point of sale
(PoS) and online services were duly engaged by customers.
The
exercise tagged ‘No Banking Day,’ according to the founder of CAFON, Sola
Salako, was aimed at expressing Nigerians’ anger over outrageous charges on
deposits, transfers and withdrawals.
Salako
had asked Nigerians to stay away from the banks yesterday and to shun any
transactions either on the counter or online with any bank.
But
findings by THIDAY in Lagos showed that the level of awareness on the exercise
was poor, which affected compliance. Also, some customers who were aware of the
‘No Banking Day’ said they decided not to comply because they knew it would not
be effective.
THISDAY
checks at the Gbagada area of Lagos yesterday morning revealed that Access Bank
Plc, FirstBank Nigeria Limited, Diamond Bank Plc and Fidelity Bank had normal
banking transactions with customers in their banking halls. Also, at a UBA
branch situated on Marina road, there were customers.
Similarly,
in the afternoon, it was observed that it was business as usual at all the
banks located on Oba Akran road, Ikeja. The banks visited were UBA, Unity Bank,
First City Monument Bank, GTBank, Wema, Zenith Bank, Fidelity Bank, Stanbic,
Union Bank and Ecobank.
Furthermore,
at Apapa, Lagos, THISDAY also monitored GTBank and Diamond Bank branches
on Burma Road, while Access Bank branch on Ijesha road, Lagos, had normal
banking transactions as their banking halls were filled with customers
conducting all sorts of banking transactions. In fact, some customers at Access
Bank, Ijesha had to leave the banking hall in annoyance after waiting for long
on the queue.
Speaking
in a chat with THISDAY, a customer at Diamond Bank branch, Burma Road, Apapa,
who simply identified himself as Mr. Victor, said: “Who came up with this no
banking day? I was not aware and also if I had known, I wouldn’t have come to
the bank today because the charges I am getting are sickening.”
Also
Mr. Chukuma at GTbank, also on Burma Road said: “I heard about the boycott but
it is important I do this transaction for my business. After all those planning
the protest are not putting food on my table.”
Similarly
in Abuja, it was business as usual in all the banking halls visited as all the
banking transaction channels including ATMs, Point of Sale (PoS) and online
services were duly engaged by customers.
However,
most of the customers interviewed by THISDAY at various bank premises also
showed lack of awareness of the directive to shun the banks and other payment
channels yesterday.
Other
customers showed disinterest in taking part in any protest of such nature,
preferring rather that the advocacy group channel such grievances to the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which regulates the financial institutions.
Meanwhile,
the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has said it was in support of efforts by
non-governmental organisations and civil society targeted at seeking redress
for consumer rights abuse.
In
a telephone chat with THISDAY, CPC spokesman, Mr. Abiodun Obimuyiwa, said the
council on its part, had already had meetings with the apex bank over
increasing complaints of unapproved deductions by banks, adding that the CBN
had assured it that it was looking into the matter.
The
CBN recently urged bank customers to report illegal and excessive charges by
their banks to it (CBN).
According
to the central bank, it had received series of complaints from bank customers
alleging excessive and, in some cases, illegal charges from their respective
banks. It pointed out that the Revised Guide to Bank Charges clearly specifies
allowable charges for all banking services and the CBN does not in any way
condone the fleecing of banking customers under any guise.
“It
was in the quest to provide a strong voice to banks’ customers and moderate the
arbitrary charges that the CBN in 2012, established its Consumer Protection
Department. For the avoidance of doubt, the CBN has investigated over 6,000
complaints relating to unauthorised bank charges brought to its notice,
following which banks have been compelled to refund the sum of over N6.2
billion to affected customers in 2015 alone.
“The
CBN wishes to reiterate its resolve to continuously enforce the provision of
the Revised Guide to Bank Charges and urges members of the public to report
cases of infringement to enable it investigate and apply sanctions on any
erring deposit money bank,” it added.
Source:Thisday Newspaper
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