Business
Bankers Committee To Probe New Alleged ATM Charges
The Bankers Committee said yesterday that it would investigate the alleged introduction of new charges on the use of Automated Teller Machine cards (ATM) by banks.
The Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc, Mr Alex Oti, said this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the committee meeting in Abuja.
Reports say that the committee, at its meeting in November 2012, unanimously agreed to remove all charges on the use of ATM cards from the shoulders of bank customers.
“A decision was taken at the last bankers’ committee meeting to remove the ATM charges; as far as I know, the banks have removed that.
“It is new to me when you say that banks are now introducing new charges on ATM.
“We will confirm that, even without a formal report, we will try and investigate it, every bank was supposed to comply, if there is any that is not complying, I don’t think it is acceptable with the bankers committee.
“It is new to me and just hearing this for the first time.’’
Some banks had in the last couple of months introduced “card maintenance fee’’ on transactions with the ATM cards.
First Bank PLC alerts to its customers in some of its ATM machines read: “Dear valued customer, in order to serve you better, from March 2013, a monthly N100 card maintenance fee will be charged for all cash withdrawals within the month.’’
Oti said that the committee was working to ensure that banks would follow the recent publications from the apex bank on the guideline on bank charges which took effect from April 1.
He said that the idea of the guideline was to streamline bank charges so that customers would be charged less.
Commenting on other issues discussed at the meeting, Oti said that the committee looked at how best the banks could support the real sector of the economy, especially the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) .
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.
