…operators allege commercial banks charge extra for new notes
Apparently the scarcity of new notes caused by the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN cash swap has started having its toll on ordinary Nigerians as shylock POS operators in Abuja now charge a whooping 10% on every N,1000 new note and 7% on old N1,000 note.
A probe into this ugly development being perpetuated by PoS operators by TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) on Monday revealed that immediately after the CBN extended the deadline from January 31 to February 10, Abuja POS operators enlarged their charges.
A visit by TNG to ten points of sale in Abuja satellite towns of Kubwa and Dutse revealed that most operators are not willing to part with new notes except ten percent is paid for every N1k.
The situation in Kubwa is alarming as ATM machines are not dispensing cash and PoS operators operating close to the machines are ripping off Nigerians.
The most annoying is the fact that even old notes equally attract extra charges as most operators allege banks are charging them extra to get new notes.
TNG engaged four of such operators in Kubwa and Dede and their verdict was that the commercial banks are deeply involved.
One of such operators that simply identified herself as Ngozi told this correspondent that “oga leave matter the bankers tell us that they pay CBN extra to get new notes so we too must bear the cost.
Displaying new notes she said”see oga I have new notes but if you can’t pay the extra go elsewhere na the same story.
Another operator in Dutse declared that “oga nobe by force if you want to try go ask them for bank why Dem de charge us extra for new notes.
This dangerous trend is fast snowballing into something else as those mainly affected are petty traders who do most of their transactions with cash and are already rejecting old notes despite the extension from January 31 to February 10.
The extension has not really made any significant difference as traders are rejecting the old notes in the market particularly when networks affect transfers using bank codes which in most cases lead to debits that takes in most cases 24hours if not 72hours for commercial banks to make a refund.
