Customers of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Access Bank at the University of Port Harcourt, were at the weekend stranded as they were unable to withdraw cash from the Automated Teller Machine (ATM).
The customers, who thronged the banks to withdraw cash on Nigeria’s Independence Day anniversary, were visibly frustrated and angry after spending over three hours without getting their money.
The Tide observed that customers of the two banks shuttled severally between the two banks in attempts to withdraw money with their ATM Cards, but to no avail.
Some of the customers after several attempts, left in anger and frustration, lamenting and using unprintable names to describe the banks, for “starving customers of fund on a day we should be  celebrating our independence”.
Many of the customers transfered their anger to the economic hardship pervading the economy, blaming Nigerian leaders for “putting the country in tight corner because of their selfish ambitions”.
One of the customers, who The Tide identified as Mr Kinikanwo, after he was called by a friend, lamented that the situation was a conspiracy by the banks.
“Don’t you see what is going on now. We that have UBA (ATM) card cannot get cash from UBA machine, but somebody with another bank’s card has been paid.
“The same thing is going on in Access Bank, all because they charge extra N35 on each withrawal, and I have been here since 8am. It’s past 11am now, and I cannot understand”, he said.
Meanwhile, one of the security personnel of the UBA on ground at the Abuja campus that was contacted, said there was no cash available, which was the reason for the ATM’s inability to dispense cash.
The Tide observed later in the day that those that came with Access and other banks’ ATM cards got cash at the UBA, while the same repeated at Access Bank, as other banks’ cards got cash.

By: Corlins Walter