The most ridiculous statement, perhaps borne out of sheer incompetence and lack of competition, would be for a bank to seek charges from one cashing a cheque. Yet, i heard a not too far comment from the above, from a staff of NIB Tamale branch.
As a service personnel, it was pleasing to hear the scheme’s directors had decided to pay us through modern money management methods. However, i was shocked to realise that, despite been libale to paying GHC 15 to the scheme in 2 monthly installments- a fee i believe is totally unjustified- i still had to pay GHC 1 every month to the shareholders of the National Investment Bank, for service rendered to the National Service Secretariat.
Receiving my allowance through the bank was the result of negotiations between the secretariat and the NIB – I wonder if any viable review process was initiated- without the knowledge of my fellow service and voluntary personnel. Any cost incurred should therefore be placed at the doorstep of the NSS.
The characteristic of the card with which we retrieve our funds is not far from a cheque. Are they saying supposing MR Kuafugbe issues a cheque to a service personnel, the personnel should pay a fee for the paperwork and convenience afforded Mr Kuafubge by the bank’s cheque? Certainly not! If anything at all, the issuer of the cheque is the one to pay any charges, otherwise we are running a very poor banking sector in Ghana.
The grounds on which the NSS employed the services of the bank should be reviewed and revised. What is the essence of charging as high an amount as GHC 15 to the NSS for an online registation tha only gives me my appointment letter, and i still go through a daunting manual registration? The NSS gives me the impression it is running an HR firm for profit.
I beleive i speak for both service and voluntary personnels when i say: GIVE ME MY ONE GHANA! Make that 2 Ghana, for i have paid for two months.
January 23, 2010
sataar
