By ABIGAEL JOSHUA

Abuja residents on Thursday, complained about incessant network failure in carrying out banking transactions, as they prepare for Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

Some of the residents, who spoke to a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said with the current naira crunch, they were getting frustrated trying to make purchases to stock up on food and other necessities, in preparation for the elections.

Mr. Yomi Bello, a civil servant, told NAN that he had tried to use the electronic baking channels to pay for most of the items he bought, but had many challenges with the poor banks’ network.

“Whenever I make transfer to buy items, I have to wait for some time at the store to ensure that the sellers gets their alert before I can leave.

“I appeal to the Federal Government and the CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria), to ensure that these network issues are addressed urgently, to alleviate the plight of the masses,” Bello appealed.

Mrs. Blessing Thomas, a housewife said the situation was not funny at all.

“My husband managed to provide the little money he could afford.

“Getting to the market, I made payment through a trader’s Point of Sale (POS) gadget, I was debited, but it showed error at his end.

“Then I had to make a transfer because the seller would not let me leave,” she complained.

Another resident, Mr Kelvin Udechukwu, an artisan, also called on the CBN to make cash available to citizens to alleviate the current challenges.

“I had to buy money to make purchases of food stuff and other items because of the restriction on movements on that day.

“I really cannot imagine that this is what we are passing through in this country; we pray for a God fearing President come Feb.25,” Udechukwu said. (NAN)