Customers lament as poor bank services paralyse commercial activities in Osun

 

Customers of some commercial banks operating within Osogbo, the Osun State have cried out to the bank management to intervene and save them the hassle they experience daily in order to access banking services.

According to complaints which were privy to, their grievances arose from the treatments meted on them by both security personnel and bank staff.

Complaints ranging from preferential treatment, neglect of customers, faulty ATM machines, disregard for COVID-19 guidelines were rife.

On a visit to some of the banks which are strategically located along Gbongan-Ibadan Road, Oke-Fia, Station Road and Igbona, customers have the same tales to tell.

At some of the banks, which have a single branch in the state capital, complaints were that they were subjected to treatments where customers who they perceived as influential were allowed into the bank and attended to first.

A bank customer, Pauline Fajuyigbe, stated that her business in the bank was to complain about an ATM transaction where she was debited without her getting any cash.

She said the bank had instructed her to wait for a week before she will be credited with the said sum but after the week was gone, she didn’t get the promised alert.

Another angry customer, Adekola Adetayo, explained that he had been at the bank before 6am to get a number.

He disclosed that because the bank operated on an on and off basis, any customer who did not come early to get a number may end up not getting any service as large numbers of customers always throng each of the bank branches depending on which one opens for business during the week.

Other complaints were that they were neglected under the tents provided for them to act as shade while in some banks; they have to hang around the premises until it is their turn to enter the bank.

Security personnel whose side of the issue was obtained, explained that they were working with the given instructions as regards to adhering to COVID-19 guidelines.

They maintained that customers who are not wearing facemasks are turned back at the gate and before they enter the banking halls, they have to wash their hands with soap and running water and have their temperatures checked and any of them with unusually high temperatures would not be allowed access into the bank.

They added that at no time were the customers left on their own and none was singled out for preferential treatment.

At the premises of a popular bank, customers revealed that they always get weekly updates in form of emails and SMS indicating which branch will be opened and closed for business during the week for easy accessibility.

Another complaint high on the list is that of faulty Automated Teller Machines (ATM), which makes it difficult for them to withdraw money.

Saga Gist gathered that most customers of the said bank have to make do with the ATM machines of nearby banks.

All efforts to get the managers and staff of the affected banks to speak proved abortive.