Despite complains of cash crunch in the State, most banks in Owerri have been besieged by residents who scramble to get their money for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
This is coming on the heels of an announcement by the Imo State government that workers in the State were paid two months salary.
This newspaper observed that the Automated Machines (ATM) of most banks were practically invaded by customers leading to long queues to almost all the banks in the city. Some of them complained that they wait endlessly to collect their money, lamenting that the ATM machines are really in bad shape.
Mrs. Nkem Onyeka who claimed to be a trader told our reporter “ I have been here since morning when I joined the queue. The ATM machines of these banks are not functional. Most people here with me have been complaining that the machines are not in good shape and this is the cause of the queues. “Some of them get frustrated when the machines debit them without paying them. It is a hopeless situation” she said
It was observed that aside the queues, traffic gridlock has overtaken the city. Most roads and streets in the city have been blocked by vehicular movement. Major roads such as Wethedral, part of Douglas road and Okigwe road witness heavy traffic as early as 7 am and this is further aggravated by absence of Keke operators which was banned by the Imo State Government on December 1, 2017.
Mr. Ibeawuchi Amadi advised the State government to open up Douglas road which has been shut down after the demolition of the Ekeukwu Owerri market.
” The suffering is too much in this town. You suffer to get your money from the bank, you suffer to get a cab to your destination. This is so bad and i wonder why the state government had to clamp down on Keke operators at this time” he said
