09/02/2023
The first transaction I did in Abuja via POS today was for 10,000 naira.
The POS operator, a lady from the south, took 1200 as her service charge—for old notes. I didn’t mind, I needed cash badly.
Unfortunately, like a drop of water in a very hot pan, I soon exhausted the 10,000.
With my bank app not working, I needed cash again. This time, somewhere in Wuse. The POS operator was from the north, a Muslim. He told me he was from the north-east.
So I told him, please, include your charges in the money you would pay me. He pointed 10,200 on the button of the machine. I thought he was making a mistake so I asked if he was sure that was his charge before I entered my pin. He nodded in agreement.
I got my money and before I zoomed off, I told him, “the first place I did transaction of same amount of money I paid 1200 for charges. Why is your own different?”.
From the conversation we have been having, I could tell that the guy was moderately literate. His response to me as to why he charged 200, and not 1200 the other lady had charged me has kept me thinking ever since then.
“Oga, I don’t just want to be part of the problem going on in this country. As long as I have money to dispense without extra cost, I will give it out to my customers without extra cost”.
I have been pondering over the statement ever since.
