Despite the intervention of the Federal Government which prompted the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, to postpone its planned nationwide strike to two weeks’ time, queues still persist in banks in Onitsha and environs, Anambra State.
Recall that the NLC wanted to embark on the strike against Central Bank of Nigeria over naira scarcity but the Hon Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, intervened on behalf of the Federal Government which resulted in the NLC postponing the strike to give CBN time to ensure that enough money is in circulation.
However, some banks in Onitsha despite the queues, pay maximum of #10,000 even as some pay #5,000 thereby worsening the situation as the queues never reduced.
Reacting, a customer in one of the new generation banks, Mrs onyechere Masaka, said that, ” I came here around 6.00am but have not been allowed to be paid as the queues are much.
“The funny thing is that they pay maximum of #10,000 which is nothing. That is why the queues persist because the person you pay #10,000 will come back as the money is not enough for him,” she said.
Also reacting in another bank, a customer who pleaded anonymity said that she has no cash to procure food stuff for the family and the bank is not helping out matter.
“The crowd was much when I came in and uptil now there is no hope of my getting money because of the intimidating crowd. I was here yesterday without being paid,” she lamented.