Business
PH Airport Users Lament Difficulty In Accessing Cash

As the naira swap issues and its attendant difficulties rages, users of Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, have lamented over difficulties they face to access cash at the airport, or do other transactions, due to scarcity of banks at the airport.
The climax of their cry for not having access to cash and other transactions became obvious last Thursday, when a large crowd was seen struggling to cue inside the terminal building to get cash from the only available ATM machine at the airport, operated by the UBA.
Unfortunately, the ATM could no longer dispense cash, after it had paid about twenty persons who withdrew ten thousand naira each, while the rest on the cue were disappointed, after all the struggles and time wasted.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the situation while interacting with The Tide, a travel agent, otherwise known as ticketer at the airport, Mr Kingsley Otamiri, lamented that banking at the airport has been reduced to the lowest point, which ought not to be so.
“I know that there were four banks that were operating here, but as we speak, it is only UBA that is operating now, and one of the ATM machines, of the two that the bank has is not working. What we have in the whole of a big airport like this is just one ATM machine.
“This cannot happen at Lagos and Abuja airports. Together with the Port Harcourt International Airport,these are among the first three major airports in Nigeria”, he said.
Also lamenting on the banking situation at the airport, a protocol officer with one of the multinational oil companies in Port Harcourt, who does not want his name published, said the situation at the Port Harcourt airport was annoying.
According to him, being one of the major airports in Nigeria, the Port Harcourt airport ought to be having many banks operating, to give passengers wide range of choice to make.
“What we are suffering here in banking is uncalled for, and you can not see this happening in other major airports in Nigeria. How can we have only one bank operating in an airport like this, and in the whole of this airport, only one ATM is operating.
“It means that the huge number of people doing business and travelling are at the mercy of this only bank, and it is even difficult to get cash at the counter, and that is why everyone is struggling at this only ATM, and how can they put such amount to take care of only about twenty persons. It is because there is no other bank operating”, he said.
The Total Elf officer however blamed the current airport management for the exit of some banks from the airport, unlike before when there were other banks operating at the airport, which gave people opportunity to make choice.
It would be recalled that two banks recently stopped operations at the airport, due to high rental charges, The Tide’s findings revealed, and the UBA that is remaining, had almost decided to leave for the same reason early last year, but remained, as an understanding was reached later with the airport management.
By: Corlins Walter
Business
Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons
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.
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