Cash Scarcity: Bank Managers Beg Nigerians Not To Attack Bank Staff, Facilities

As scarcity of cash lingers across the country, the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB) have urged Nigerians to exercise patience and not to resort to any untoward behaviour against Bank staff or banking facilities

The association said this in a statement signed by Rasheed Bolarinwa, president, of ACAMB.

The statement explained that banks have taken additional measures to quicken the flow of naira notes, such as the deployment of extra technical supports for online payments, additional security at ATMs to ensure all-clock usage, technological back-up to reduce online downtime to the barest minimum, additional staff deployment to counters to attend to cash transactions and timely interbank and inter-branch networking to bridge any gap.

“We are confident that these measures, in addition to efforts by the regulatory CBN will result in greater ease of access and cash liquidity.

"The Federal Government and the CBN have reiterated similar readiness to address any constraint in the cyclical flow, including making adjustments, where necessary.

"ACAMB urges the Nigerian banking public to exercise patience and not to resort to any untoward behaviour against Bank staff or banking facilities.

“There is no doubt that the unintended constraints in the withdrawal of old naira notes and circulation of new naira notes, alongside the national policy to enhance cashless transactions, have had unintended effects on the generality of the Nigerian populace, ” the statement said.

This is also as the Association of Senior Staff of Banks and other Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), at the weekend, condemned attacks on banks and staff as a result of the naira scarcity.

ASSBIFI, in a statement by Olusoji Oluwole, its president, also said that bank staff were not saboteurs as insinuated by the public.

According to the statement, Nigerian banks are currently working with the CBN to ensure that customers have access to cash through ATMs and other channels as well as Over-The-Counter (OTC) in the banking halls.

“ACAMB affirms that without any equivocation that banks are not in any way hoarding or holding back naira notes or engaging in any act inimical to our avowed commitment to exciting customer experience.

"ATMs are being loaded every day and cash is being paid as provided by the CBN, as regularly being checked by CBN inspectors and other regulators including anti-graft agencies.”