Huambo - Residents of the city of Huambo, in the central province of Huambo, have expressed their annoyance at the recurrent lack of cash in automated teller machines (ATMs), without any plausible explanation, days before New Year's Eve.
Speaking to ANGOP, they lamented the fact that ATMs have been without cash since early Monday, making it difficult to make purchases in the informal market, where most products are sold without an ATM card and at low prices compared to shopping.
Citizens asked the National Bank of Angola, as the sector's regulator, to intervene to solve the problem, which is common at this time of year.
Paulo Jorge, who had been waiting in line since 5:10 a.m., said it was a difficult and embarrassing situation for people who wanted to have a family Christmas dinner.
"The ATMs are always full and often some people wait in line for more than three hours without any explanation from the banks," complained one of the citizens.
Mateus Quintas complained that many banks have three ATMs, but only one with cash. The others are only used for consultation, which is unacceptable at this time of year.
Rodrigo Caviende, a user, said that he has been looking for money for a week, so it is urgent that the banks resolve the situation to make people's lives easier.
António Braça, an economist, called for the adoption of more strategies to promote the use of the digital process in the purchase and payment of various goods in the informal market.
From 2021, the National Bank of Angola will require commercial banks to ensure that ATMs have at least 95 percent of their available banknote capacity. ZZN/ALH/TED/AMP
