By John Okoh, Lagos
As shareholders of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, continues to basks in the euphoria over the 30 kobo dividend that was declared on Tuesday August 15, the board of directors of the bank disclosed that it received a total of 7,181 complaints on various issues from its customers for the period ended June 30, 2017.
Details of the half year 2017, 30 kobo interim dividend per 50 kobo ordinary share, which is subject to appropriate withholding tax will be paid to shareholders, whose names appears in the register of shareholders at the close of business on August 23 and August 17 for holders of the banks Global Depository Receipts (GDR). Payment date is on September 5, 2017.
The bank’s disclosure of customers complaints is in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guidelines on resolution of customer’s complaints, which requires the banks to provide periodic reports to the CBN.
Some of the outstanding complaints are excess charges, complaints on loan and facilities availed by the bank, and fraud related and unauthorized local card transactions that are yet to be resolved by the acquiring banks.
A breakdown of the complaints received and resolved as contained in the bank 2017 half year audited account shows that the 7,181 complaints is above the 6,047 complaints that was received for the same period in 2016.
According to the figures the bank was able to resolve 7,098 complaints as against 6,011 that was resolved for the same period in 2016. The report also shows that 233 complaints is currently pending with the Bank, when compared with 150 that was pending in 2016.
On the complaints received, the customers claimed a total of N264, 715 million for the half year 2017, which is below N557, 585 million that was claimed in 2016.
However a total of N82, 896 million was refunded to affected customers, this is below N328, 921 million that was refunded for the same period in 2016.
Complaints resolved by the bank in other currencies for the year ended December 2016 and January 1 to June 30, 2017 respectively, shows that in United States Dollars a total of $71,396 was claimed during the period under consideration which is below $116,494 that was claimed same period in 2016.
Amounts refunded stood at $26,805, which is below $96,727 that was refunded for the same period in 2016. In Great Britain Pounds, a total of £1,001 was claimed which is below £7,909 that was claimed in 2016. £850 was refunded in the period under consideration as against £3,099, which was refunded in 2016.
In the case of Euros currency, the bank received € 4,270 claim which is below € 39,516 that was received in 2016. Interestingly no amount was refunded, when compared with € 22,012 that was refunded in 2016.
For the unresolved complaints, in United States Dollars, $30 was claimed which is below $578 that was claimed in 2016. There were no claims on Great Britain Pounds and in the period under review.
