Real reason why Nigerian banks are overcrowded with no physical distancing

Real reason why Nigerian banks are overcrowded with no physical distancing – There has been outrageous lack of physical distancing in the premises of most banks in Lagos and other parts of the country since on Monday when the federal government relaxed lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and the federal capital territory.

The overcrowding and lack of physical distance among customers of various banks violates the laid down rules by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and the presidential taskforce (PTF) on COVID-19 as announced by President Muhammadu Buhari during a national broadcast a few weeks ago.

Findings by FINANCIAL WATCH reveal the reason for the overcrowding in most banks is as a result of closure of most branches leaving customers with fewer options to carry out their banking needs.

Our correspondent gathered that apart from closure of many branches in Lagos and other parts of the country, the opening hours has been shifted to 9:00AM instead of the usual 8:00AM opening hour which has made customers to gather in their numbers waiting for the bank to open.

Our reporter also gathered that most banks have weak crowd control mechanism in place; When our reporter visited GTBank along Ago palace way, the customers who have arrived in the banking premises as early as 6:30AM where made to write down their names in a list which continued until 9:00AM when the bank officially opened for business.

The security men can be seen calling names of customers serially in close proximity with a crowd of over 400 customers jam-packed with no regard for physical distancing of which many customers have no facemask on and the few who have wear it below their jaws or remove it when they want to talk or sneeze.

The same scenario played out at access bank second avenue FESTAC Town when our reporter visited the branch, although the bank have a canopy stationed for customers but the crowd waiting to be served have no regard for physical distancing.

The federal government has already said that the lockdown may return if Nigerians continue to disobey the guidelines set by the NCDC.