The Ghana Association of Savings and Loans Companies (GHASALC) has strongly condemned the attack on one Patience Osafo by a police officer, Corporal Frederick Amanor at the premises of Midland Savings and Loans Limited.
Patience Osafo, was said to have refused to leave the banking hall after the company failed to allow her withdraw an amount of GHC250 from her savings account, prompting some staff to allegedly call in the AK-47-wielding policeman, Corporal Frederick Amanor.
Some customers, angered by the barbaric act by the police personnel stormed the premises of the bank to retrieve all their monies, Monday morning.
A few who spoke to www.ghanaweb.com stated that aside being angry about the cruel act by Amanor, they are more frustrated and disappointed in the mediocre treatment meted out to them by staff of the bank and the fact that they have had to visit Midland consistently for over a month and yet still have not accessed their monies.
Executive Secretary of the association, Tweneboah Kodua, in a signed statement stated that his outfit joins many Ghanaians who have condemned the act in "no uncertain terms".
The statement further read that the customer did nothing to warrant such ill treatment meted to her by the police personnel.
Tweneboah Kodua, in an interview with www.ghanaweb.com stated although Midland Savings and Loans will not cease its operational activities despite pressure from the public, he pleaded with customers of Midland to exercise patience.
"Moreover we want to build a sound financial industry and so whatever we say, whatever we do we should ask ourselves, are we contributing to the financial systems." He indicated.
The Savings and Loans Company has come under pressure since the company’s network, managed by an information technology company, went down from Tuesday, July 17, 2018, until the evening of Thursday, June 19, 2018.
Deputy Managing Director of Midlands, Isaac Mensah in an interview by Daily Graphic noted how back-up system got very slow during the period, making it impossible to facilitate transactions as quickly as possible for customers.
The Executive Secretary has assured that GHASALC will work with management by going through their concerns and complaints to avoid future instances.
Mr. Kodua said, “We will continue to support the public so that whoever that has money here will get their monies. The institution will continue to operate and we do not expect anyone to run to the institution and say that I am coming to take my money. Otherwise then we want to kill the institution ourselves not because of any other thing. And so we will want the public to remain calm so that everything will be done as we want.”
He advised other financial institutions to take a cue and learn lessons., to get her out and in the process, assaulted her.