Foto: DW
Banking
situation in Mueda presents numerous challenges
Mueda, a district located in
the northern part of Mozambique, in the Cabo Delgado province, plays a
strategic role as a center for banking services, serving not only its own
population but also the neighboring districts of Muidumbe, Mocímboa da Praia,
and Nangade.
Despite its economic
importance and significant local financial transactions, the banking situation
in Mueda presents numerous challenges that harm the population and limit the region’s
development potential.
Currently, Mueda has three
banking institutions: BIM, BCI, and ABSA. However, the infrastructure provided
by these banks is insufficient to meet the growing demand:
BCI, supposedly the most
reliable among the three banks, has three automatic teller machines (ATMs), two
for cash withdrawals and one exclusively for balance inquiries. However, service
issues affect its efficiency.
ABSA, another bank, provides
only one ATM for the entire district, operating in a limited manner as it often
runs out of cash on weekends. This forces customers to rely on the presence of
bank employees to perform banking transactions.
BIM has two ATMs located in
the same space, but one is restricted to balance inquiries. Cash replenishment
at these terminals is irregular, especially on weekends, making the bank unreliable.
Another headache, which is a
common problem among all banking institutions in Mueda, is the quality of
customer service, which is widely criticized. Customers frequently complain
about long delays and inefficiencies.
When you go to Mueda to
visit one of the banks, you should expect delays in obtaining cards and face
long waits, which can last for weeks, or customers may simply give up on the
process.
Often, there are situations
involving bribery as an alternative to expedite services. There are also
difficulties with cash withdrawals, where bank guards are accused of charging
up to 200 meticais to facilitate access to ATMs.
Additionally,
customers from neighboring districts, like Mocímboa da Praia, often have to
sleep on the banks' verandas due to the delays in service. The situation is
more critical at the end of the month. (Armando António Bento)
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