The Manager, Unity Bank, Umuahia branch says the banking sector cannot be exempted from the various sectors adversely affected by the lockdown order of the federal government, instilled by the subsisting rampaging Coronavirus disease.
Sir Ekele Ochiabuto, Knight of St. Molumba stated this during an exclusive interview with Famous Reporters, at his country home, Okwuta Ibeku, Umuahia North LGA, pointing out that the lockdown order which was instigated by the COVID-19 pandemic crippled every aspect of the country’s econom, as well as the banking sector, stressing that the success of the bank strictly depends on the prosperity of all other businesses as it were.
“Yes, the impact is much on every aspect of the economy, every sector of the economy is well affected and the banking sector is not left out. This is because other sector of the economy including the manufacturing, the SME, human and technology sectors, even the financial sectors were are all affected. So, as a bank you will agree with me that people find it difficult to find their way to the banks because of this lockdown.
“If you get to the bank, you won’t see enough transaction and the lockdown affected industries, businesses and it is when all this sectors prosper that the bank will also prosper, so by extension the bank suffers so much as a result of this lock down”.
On the failure of the government towards deadening the effects of the pandemic on the masses, with much focus on the sudden hike in transportation particular at relaxation periods, he argued that the emergence of the pandemic was extemporaneous, insisting that neither the government nor any organization had envisaged it.
“As for me, the government is trying because it came as an emergency whatever we are doing now is just an emergency response. So, it is not easy to get the coaster buses now because you can’t encourage movement at this time because we are trying to avoid community transmission, you know the dynamics of this covid 19 transmission, so if you allow such movement you can only spread it the more.”
“Nobody planned for this pandemic. This will shake the budget of 2020 because no country, state or local govt had this pandemic in their budget. It’s something that just came up as nobody planned for it.
While commending the response of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu’s government to the federal government’s directives, Sir Ochiabuto maintained that the previously existing restriction of movement which lasted for some couple of weeks, in spite of its accompanying dearth, was a better approach towards militating against the spread of COVID-19 alongside its impending dangers.
He conceded to the views of the citizens, hence the extant famine among the masses as prompted by the lockdown, but, however, reiterated that the order was in the interest of the citizenry, as he advised that in spite of Government’s proposed relaxation of the order, Abians and indeed Nigerians should stick to the already laid down precautionary measures.
Meanwhile, sir Ochiabuto who, as has been his custom distributed items such as Alcohol based sanitizers, face masks, Bags of rice, cartons of noodles, funds and a lot more other food items to palliate the suffering among Widows and the vulnerable in Okwuta Ibeku urged the people to remain law-abiding as the fight against the spread of COVID-19 persists.
Hear him: “The best thing government will do as has been done in all the countries of the world not only in Nigeria is to advice their citizens to stay indoors that’s the very best way. I know it is very difficult but it is better for you that you are alive and hungry than that you are outside and catch the virus and die. Therefore, it is better you are alive and suffer for this few days and i pray that very soon it will be a thing of the past.”
Culled from famousreporters.com
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