Omodele Adigun

“Banks are to limit the number of customers in banking halls to not more than 15 at a time and to activate all ATM points to be functional.”

This was an instruction handed down to banks by the governor of one of the states as the nation races to contain the Coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc across the globe.The state has just been  locked down.

As a result of that order, obeyed to the letter by all the banks, it has literally become easier for camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for customers to carry out withdrawals and lodgements in these financial institutions across the country.

For instance in Lagos, where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, last Tuesday ordered “banks and other financial institutions to prioritise online channels for their services to the public with only essential and key senior staff being in the office” for the seven days his closure  of all open markets and stores  would last, virtually all on-site ATMs visited by our correspondents last Wedneday were besieged by bank customers in anticipation of the partial curfew following day.

The same scenario repeated itself yesterday in the wake of the 14-day lockdown announced by President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday.

The President had on Sunday in his nationwide broadcast, imposed a total movement restriction in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja.

According to the number one citizen, based on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Health and the NCDC, “I am directing the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the FCT for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 11pm on Monday, 30th March 2020.

“This restriction will also apply to Ogun State due to its close proximity to Lagos and the high traffic between the two States.”

He urged all citizens in these areas to stay in their homes, adding that travel to or from other states should be postponed. All businesses and offices within these locations should also be fully closed during this period, President Buhari ordered.  Then hell literally was let loose the following as bank customers in their multitudes descended on their branches in a fashion that almost caused a run on the banks, long queues dotted both banking halls and premises of most of the banks visited yesterday with customers spending hours before they could acheive their aim.

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At all the banks visited,customers swarmed the banking premises while long queues filed out at the ATM locations.

Maybe, this was what informed the decision of the Finance Mnister, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, to secure approval from President Muhammadu Buhari to exempt key players in the financial services sector from COVID- 19 movement restrictions.

A statement jointly issued by the duo on Monday read: “In light of the devastating effects of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) on many countries around the world, we applaud and appreciate the appropriate and proactive restrictions in personal and vehicular movement directed by President Muhammadu Buhari in his speech of Sunday March 29, 2020. These restrictions are critical to significantly reduce the transmission rate of the disease and make it much easier for health professional to trace, test and isolate patients.

“To ensure that Nigerians can still perform online transactions and use ATMs whilst observing these restrictions, we will like to inform the general public and all affected stakeholders that we have obtained exemptions from the President to allow very skeletal operations in the Financial System and Money Markets in order to keep the system in light operations during this time.

“To this end, all relevant staff of affected outfits and agencies should look out for further instructions from their immediate bosses. We are mindful of the difficulties these restrictions would bring on ordinary Nigerians and are grateful to the President for approving these exemptions, which should help ease some of these burdens. We urge all Nigerians to be patient, cooperative and united as all hands are on deck to defeat this virus.”

Before then , most of the banks had urged their customers to embrace digital platforms. Fot instance, Stanbic IBTC Bank in a statement urged its customers in Nigerians to utilise digital solutions to easily access their accounts, make payments, transfer funds, process salaries, and carry out other ancillary transactions from the comfort of their homes and offices without visiting branches.

The bank also advised that its branches remain open and available to customers who choose to visit to carry out their transactions. The bank said its branches are equipped with prescribed preventative measures. Also Ecobank urges its customers to adopt digital self-service.

Its Lome-based parent body, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated(ETI)  in a statement by its Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ade Ayeyemi, in advised them to use digital platforms such as Ecobank Mobile App, Ecobank Online, EcobankPay, Ecobank OmniPlus, OmniLite and the RapidTransfer App without visiting branches to transact businesses. He noted that at unusual time like this, the bank would try to adapt to changing developments for the good health and well-being of all its customers.

His words: “This is an unusual, extraordinary and difficult period in time.  At Ecobank we do understand that COVID-19 is impacting a number of people and causing others serious concern and anxiety. We will continue to stay abreast of the situation in order to adapt to changing developments for the good health and well-being of all our customers, employees and communities. Together let’s keep well and safe, following the instructions given to us by the world health experts for our better health”.