Business
Customers Seek End To Excessive Bank Charges
Customers of commercial banks in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called for an end to excessive charges levied on them by commercial banks.
A cross section of the customers, who spoke to newsmen yesterday in Abuja, appealed to relevant authorities for proper moderation of the charges.
They said the charges had continued to multiply by the day and needed to be stopped as soon as possible.
A bank customer, Mr Kingsley Attah, said the rate at which banks charged their customers was not in order and should be discouraged.
“ I have an account with a bank and at the end of the month, my account is usually debited between N25 and N40 a month.
“ This amount may seem small but when they charge all the customers they have N25 in a month, it will amount to a huge sum.
“These charges usually come irrespective of whether you do a transaction in the bank or not and I think it is illegal,” he said.
Also, another bank customer, Miss Charity Akowe, said she wanted to withdraw N1.5 million from her account but was told that she would be charged over N35,000.
Akowe said she had to rather transfer the money into another account to avoid paying the huge charges for withdrawing her own money.
She said it was not ideal for the bank to charge customers so much for withdrawing money from their accounts.
Another customer, Mr James Amos, said he could not understand why banks would charge customers for withdrawing money from their accounts.
According to Amos, customers deposit money in the banks for safe keeping and the banks in turn use the money to do their businesses.
He said that rather than charge customers for transactions, the banks should pay interest for keeping his money for them to use.
However, another customer, Mrs Ngozi Nkem, condemned customers who blamed banks for levying charges on their transactions.
“Banks are money making ventures and are out to make profit, so I do not understand why some people will expect them to render services for free.
“I think the problem we have is that we are used to getting things for free; the economy is sick and individuals and firms are striving to survive.
“The government has also withdrawn all its money from commercial banks and the bulk of money they get now is just from salaries and savings.
“So if the banks do not charge customers, they will not be able to survive and remain in the market,” she said.
Nkem said if a customer required a letter of non-indebtedness from a bank, a business that would generate income, it was not a crime for the bank to demand some charges.
An official of First Bank Plc in the Wuse Area, in the FCT who preferred anonymity, explained that the charges on customers were the ways banks generated their money.
The official said: “If banks do not generate any money at the end of the day, its staff will go home without salaries.
“So, for us to be able to generate money and service our businesses, we have to charge customers for services rendered and we are very considerate with the charges.”
Another official at the GTBank told reporters that some of the charges were parts of measures to encourage a cashless economy.
The Tide source reports that some of the charges being complained of by customers include Commission on Turnover, ATM Card maintenance fees, SMS charges, costs on letter of non-indebtedness.
Many of the commercial banks charge between N2,000 and N25,000 on letter of non-indebtedness.
For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
-
Opinion4 days ago
The Rantings Of Rivers ALGON
-
Entertainment2 days ago
Cause Of Mohbad’s Death Cannot Be Ascertained-Pathologist
-
Business2 days ago
Western Marine Command Intensifies Anti-Smuggling Operations … Intercepts N8.75m Worth PMS
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Gunmen Invade Edo Community, Burn Cars, Houses
-
News4 days agoI Was The Highest Beneficiary Of Incorruptible Judiciary -Obi
-
Politics2 days ago
One Year In Office: Unity Road Stakeholders Laud Fubara Over Andoni Section Commissioning
-
News2 days ago
We Must Deploy Technology To Combat Security Challenges -COAS
-
Health4 days ago
WHO Plans Global Eye Care Target