One of the characteristics of the Italian mafia, that illegal organization that recolonised the United States of America is the practice of extortion. They monopolised certain businesses and placed their monopolistic gain at the expense of the common man. Though they still gave back to the society. The recent cashless society policy by the Buhari administration and its abuses by the banking system has made cash a scarce commodity. The gist is that it appears POS operatives in Awka, Anambra State have capitalised on the ills of the bank branch managers to fleece the common man of his hard earned money, charging a whooping 20 Percent to give people cash.
ANN was in the streets of Awka for 5 days to investigate this allegation against POS operatives. It was gathered that between 30th of January to 1st of January, POS operatives charged 5 percent to give old notes and 10 percent to give new notes. And they did not give more than 5000 naira per customer. But from February 2nd, they started charging 20 per cent. A whooping 20 percent. The people have no choice as the naira notes, both old and new, have been made scarce commodities by the banks. Infact, as at yesterday, February 2nd, most banks ran out of cash as at 2:30pm. They started issuing 5 naira notes as at 1 pm and that even ran out of that an hour and 30 minutes later.
“I had only 5000 naira in my account and needed to withdraw it so I can travel to ASABA. I walked into one of the places I saw a POS notice. I told the POS girl that I wanted to withdraw 5000 naira from my account. ‘Your charge is 1000 naira,’ she replied, chewing her gum vigorously as if her life depended on it.. I was baffled. I couldn’t understand it.” So lamented one Ojukwu Franklin.
I boarded a bus at Nnewi around 4 pm. Our bus left around 7:30pm. What delayed us was that most people who wanted to board the bus did not have cash. And the management of the transport company was not accepting bank transfer nor did they have POS machine so the potential passengers could have a payment option. Of course, POS operatives who lurked around the vicinity were having a field day fleecing people of 20 per cent of their hard earned money just to provide with cash they direly needed inorder to travel.
I was on ABS TV newspaper review this morning, and we saw on the banner headline that the people are groaning under the effects of the new money policy which effect is being compounded by the artificial fuel scarcity in Anambra State and elsewhere in the country. A certain lady was reported to have been arrested for selling the naira. I was piqued. It should be the whole POS operators in the cell as well as the bank branch manager and even fuel attendants who should be arrested as these make up the cartel that is criminally exploiting the masses while the FG and the APC bear the blame.
This is not right. I called a friend living in Asaba and he told me they sell fuel at 290 naira a litre and that fuel stations now use their POS machines. But here in Anambra State, the fuel attendants have joined the criminal organization, charging customers to withdraw money from their POS, which money the customer still buy their fuel with. They even go ahead to charge 1000 naira extra for every gallon you want to fill after filling your car. And they sell 450 – 500 naira here in Anambra. These are all christians, most of whom are quick to look down on traditionalists, muslims and other religious practitioners as hell bound. These are the same people who would unleash holy wrath on the political leaders for “stealing the common patrimony,” these POS agents are. Has anyone asked how the new naira notes could not be found yet the bandits have been seen showing off large quantities of it on a video. There is every reason to raise an eye brow at POS operators, bank branch managers and petroleum marketers as running mafia syndicate at the expense of the masses.
