Heritage Bank pays customers outstanding deposits

Category: Business Published on Friday, 08 February 2013 06:00 Written by Kayode Ekundayo, Lagos

Sequel to the completion of verification of customers of the defunct Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria, the new owner, Heritage Bank yesterday commenced issuance of payment cheques to customers whose accounts were successfully validated.

Investigations conducted across some designated centres showed that the exercise was in two parts; verification of accounts and instant issuance of payment cheques for those who prefer to collect the balances in their accounts.

Owners of successfully validated accounts also have the option of retaining such with the new Heritage Bank which is set to begin operations before the end of the first quarter.

At the AIB plaza centre in Lagos, an official of the bank stated that the management of the new bank has put everything in place to ensure that all SGBN customers who turn up for the month-long exercise go back satisfied.

“Management has made adequate arrangement for everybody and we have the financial strength to pay everybody if the need arises,” the official said.

On the modality for account validation, the official said savings account holders are expected to come with means of identification such as driver’s licence, passport or national identity card, as well as their cash withdrawal forms and deposit slips.

For current and corporate accounts, account holders are expected to present their cheque books or cheque stumps.

The official said: “The process is simple, hassle-free and technology-driven to ensure that customers that turn up do not have to wait endlessly. We just call up the customer’s number from our server base at the head office.

“Once this appears, the customer’s picture is taken and stored and the form is passed on to the validation officer through the control officer, for the account to be verified, including the balance in such account. Once this is done, the customer is referred to the cashiers who instantly write cheques for those that want their account balance paid.”