THE National President a of Non-Governmental Organisation and democracy group, National Movement for Positive Change (NMPC), Barrister Niyi Aborisade, has heaped praises on the Nigerian Senate for its decision to suspend the fraudulent bank charges on maintenance of debit cards.
Aborisade stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday after the Senate led by its President, Bukola Saraki, had listened to the cries of millions of Nigerians who were being ripped off by Nigerian banks.
In his statement, he said “I commend the Senate on their unanimous decision to suspend the fraudulent bank charges of maintenance card.
“Over the years our Banks are in the habit of abstract charges on customers.
“The decision of the Senate is welcome and I praise their decision as victory to the masses.”
It would be recalled that on Wednesday, the Nigerian Senate moved against illicit and excessive charges by Nigerian banks on customers accounts with particular focus on Automated Teller Machine (ATM) maintenance and withdrawal charges, passing a resolution calling on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend the excessive ATM card maintenance charges being deducted from customers.
This sequel to a motion raised on the floor of the Senate during Plenary session by Senator Gbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos East Senatorial District and the motion was seconded by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
Ashafa had raised the issue of concern over illicit and excessive charges by Nigerian banks in customers accounts with particular focus on Automated Teller Machine (ATM) maintenance and withdrawal charges and wanted the senators to intervene in the matter.
In seconding the motion, Ekweremadu said the ATM charge was not the only charge “we get from the bank, there are VAT charges and so on; this is unacceptable. We have the Customer Protection Agency in Nigeria, but they are not living up to expectations.
“If we have Institutions in Nigeria, they should make sure to do their jobs to protect Nigerians. Banks should have recognizable charges to let customers know what they are up against.”
