The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Tuesday threatened to seal up some branches of the Guarantee Trust Bank (GTBank) in Abuja for operating without compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
FCTA, therefore, issued a one-day ultimatum to the three affected branches of GTbank in Area 3, 11, and Central Business District within which to put the necessary COVID-19 safety measures in place for their customers or face closure or N100,000 fine.
The Chairman FCT Enforcement Team on COVID-19, Ikharo Attah who disclosed this during a monitoring exercise, lamented that the lives of customers were being endangered at those branches of the Bank.
Attah said: “this particular bank (GTB in Area three) is not observing Covid-19 safety protocol at all. There is only one thermometer for this large crowd. I have been to this particular branch more than four times and this bank enjoys a large crowd, not organizing for its customers to sit and wait.
“There was no social distancing and most of them are not even wearing face masks. The bank should provide canopy, chairs, and handwashing points.
“We are giving them 24 hours to get all these things in place or risk been sealed. It will not cost up to N100,000, because they should take the lives of their customers very seriously. Their customers should be treated with the utmost dignity. I give them 24 hours”.
Some of the customers who were visibly angry over what they described as poor management practices by the bank, told reporters that some of the bank staff were preferential treatment to some individuals that were not in the queue.
Others who decried spending up to four hours without getting cash called on the GTbank to open up more branches to avoid large crowds.
Source: Businessdayng
