The Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents (AMMBAN), Lagos State Chapter has refuted allegations made by a Police Officer in a viral video which claimed that Mobile Money Operators and Agents usually scan customers cards with a motive of defrauding them.
Pastor Abiodun David, the Chairman, Lagos State Chapter AMMBAN, has enlightened that , MMOs (Mobile Money Operators) are licenced by the CBN to provide financial tools and services to the unbanked and these tools consist of and are not limited to POS terminals Devices , Wallet Apps and Financial services to mention a few.
He went on to point out that in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guidelines, financial inclusion was established basically to provide financial services for the unbanked. Therefore to ensure compliance, a professional pressure group known as AMMBAN (Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria) was formed with an aim of driving the financial inclusion programme of the CBN in collaboration with SANEF (Shared agent network expansion facilities), a body set up by CBN to supervise and regulate the activities of both MMOs and AMMBAN.
He pointed out that this body strive to ensure training, re-training and monitoring of Agents, thus creating a big picture in the minds eye of these MMOs with a view to ensure all Agent’s are on the same page with ‘Integrity” being their watchword
Pastor Abiodun David added that in view of the above, the Financial inclusion business is indeed a well regulated one which does not give room to fraudulent practice as highlighted in the viral video making the rounds because the introduction and influx of Agency Business, terminals et al is a deliberate and legal government policy.
He stressed that for an Agent or Operator to practice, these Agents need to have sought permission and given approval to do so through the issuance of a licence by either SANEF directly as an Operator or AMMBAN as an Agent.
Adding that, It is therefore pertinent to stress that no one can authoritatively speak on behalf of this body without the express approval of either of the following SANEF or AMMBAN.
In his Conclusion the Chairman Lagos State Chapter of ANMBAN said the Public is therefore adviced to disregard communication in any form claiming that Agents or Operators are fraudulent and would condescend as low as scanning a customers card with a view to defraud. Such allegations are baseless and only shows the level of ignorance of the Perpetrator.