Residents of Benin have decried poor services of Automated Teller Machines (ATM) in the metropolis during festive periods.
The respondents spoke in separate interviews with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Saturday.
They described it as unfortunate that residents were made to go through stress to withdraw money from the machines during such period.
They said most of the machines were not been dispensing cash since Friday night, a situation they noted resulted into long queues in the few ones dispensing.
A resident, John Omoruyi, who said he was unable to get cash from the machines he visited on Friday night, regretted that the situation did not change as at Saturday morning.
He said “it is annoying that the banks do not make contingency plans for periods such as this.”
Another resident, Osadolor Ighodaro, said he got to the ATM at 6 a.m. and as at 10. a.m., he was still unable to get cash.
According to him, he was at more than six ATMs of different banks but the same thing applies: not dispensing cash.
“It is like a plan by all the banks to deprive customers of their money during holidays: this is because we experienced same situation during 2017 Christmas celebration.”
Otabor Friday, also a resident, said he trekked from Cultural City at the city centre down to Dawnson junction at Akpakpava road in Benin just to make use of the machines.
Friday said “I tell you, it was a futile effort as I couldn’t get any of the machines that was dispensing cash in the long stretch of Akpakpava road.
“The only two machines dispensing cash were like market squares.”
He said the situation was same at the ATMs along Airport Road and Sapele Road.
Attempts to get response from security personnel attached to some of the banks proved abortive as they said they were not in position to respond to the challenges.
One of the security officers attached to one of the new generation banks along Sapele Road, said the challenge would be addressed before the end of Saturday.
He added that “I am sure that the people responsible for it will come and look into this problem before the end of today.
“I can tell you that the rush for cash by customers is largely responsible for this problem, but it will be sorted out soon.” (NAN)