Thursday, November 14, 2024

“I felt like a beggar,” disabled businessman narrates his ordeal in GTBank

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A physically challenged Nigerian has narrated how he endured embarrassment at a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) branch in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, over the financial institution's failure to make the facility accessible to persons with disabilities (PWD). .

Somorin Osifeso spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday after making a post about discrimination in his name X.

What should have been a perfect transaction turned into a herculean task, Osifeso told PREMIUM TIMES.

The businessman said he visited the bank facility located in the city's Challenge area on Monday for a “real estate transaction” because the bank's mobile application was not functional.

But GTB management said it apologized to Osifeso, noting that recent road construction at the bank's location affected the structure of its building, including the ramp to access the building.

Crisis with the bank's mobile application

Recently, several GTbank customers have been sharing their frustrations when using the bank's mobile app after it announced a system upgrade – a transition to a new Finacle core banking app system.

Following this announcement, customers have been unable to access their online mobile services for financial transactions. PREMIUM TIMES checks show that the bank has disabled the comments section on its social network X due to critical comments from disgruntled customers.

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The ordeal of Mr. Osifeso

“When I contacted my bank account manager, he told me to go to any branch,” Mr. Osifeso said.

“Upon arriving at the Challenge branch in Ibadan, they initially tried to help me inside my car but then told me that I would have to enter the branch because their cameras outside were not working.”

The businessman said all his efforts to enter the trap door with his wheelchair proved fruitless after he was carried from the parking area up the stairs to the entrance door because there was no ramp.

“They had no wheelchair ramp or wheelchair access doors to enter the branch,” he said.

“It was a horrible experience, quite dangerous having to climb the stairs to the entrance of the bank.”

The businessman said he was outside the banking hall like someone “begging for alms” due to his inability to access the bank's facilities to carry out transactions.

Osifeso said he spent more than two hours under the “burning sun,” hoping to find a way out, but there was none.

He noted that the bank's action has caused him “stress and possible financial losses.

“A complete shame for you @gtbank_help @gtbank,” he posted.

What does the law say?

Six years ago, a law addressing discrimination and exclusion of persons with disabilities (PWD) was enacted. However, not much has changed in its implementation.

In 2018, former President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the Non-Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities Act, which was seen as a crucial step in addressing the injustices and exclusion faced by millions of people with disabilities. Section 4 of the law requires that all public buildings be accessible to people with disabilities.

“A public building shall be constructed with necessary accessibility aids, such as elevators (where necessary), ramps and any other facilities that make it accessible and usable by persons with disabilities,” states Section 4 of the Act.

Section 6 provides a five-year transition period to modify public buildings for access by persons with disabilities. Section 7 provides that a designated agency reviews construction plans for public structures to ensure compliance.

“From the date of entry into force of this Law, there will be a transitional period of five years within which all public buildings and structures, whether real, personal or automotive, that are inaccessible to people with disabilities will be modified to be accessible and usable by persons with disabilities,” says Section 6.

Section 7 further states: “Before erecting a public structure, its plan shall be examined by the relevant authorities to ensure that it complies with the building code. A government agency, body, or individual will not approve the plan of a public building if it does not provide for accessibility in accordance with the building code.”

Although the transitional period has ended, there are no improvements

Like Osifeso, many Nigerians have continued to face discrimination in their access to public facilities such as banks, hospitals, hotels, shopping malls and schools, among others, even though the five-year transition period has now ended.

In early March, Adebola Daniel, son of a serving senator and former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, recounted the mistreatment he had suffered at a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlet at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

This development informed the National Assembly's decision to summon the fast food restaurant's management to defend the establishment's manager's widely condemned conduct against Mr. Daniel.

ALSO READ: Frustrations mount for GTBank and Zenith customers amid continued banking service disruptions

GTB reacts

Reacting to the development on Tuesday night, GTCO Plc Communications Director, Oyinade Adegite, blamed the development on a reconstruction of the road where the branch is located.

Adegite said the bank respects human dignity and, as a financial institution that promotes inclusion, holds annual conferences on issues related to people with disabilities, such as autism.

She said: “The access the branch had was much larger, much wider and accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, but the construction of the road took away much of the space and affected the entrance to the facility.”

He said the bank is making efforts to address the challenge at the affected branch, noting that all other branches of the bank comply with the Non-Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act.

“We contacted the client, the account manager also did so and this matter has now been resolved. “We have an existing relationship, we know you, we understand how to best serve you,” he said.

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