By Stephen Wandera

KIU, Main Campus- Following the national lockdown announced by President Yoweri Museveni on March 18, most banks scaled down their operations, especially the opening time, which was reduced from the normal working hours to between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm.

And now, with the recent easing of the lockdown by the government, they have now resumed their normal operational time of between 8:20 am to 5:00 pm.

Commercial banks have also announced the resumption of full operations after COVID-19 restrictions on most businesses including hair salons, boda-bodas and arcades across the country were lifted by the president on July 22.

Tropical Bank, Stanbic Bank, and Centenary Bank started opening doors for their customers from 8:30 am to 5 pm on July 24, according to a statement on the Centenary bank website, one of the various banks to extend working hours.

According to the news report by egypttoday.com quoting a source from the Central Bank of Cairo, this decision was informed by the extension of curfew time to 9:00 pm and lifting of restrictions on public transport which now allow bank staff and more customers to visit their branches.

Many people all over the country have welcomed this move. Simon Aine, a businessman in Ishaka whose business is cash-based, said the extension of working hours will help keep his money more safe.

c��?Before Friday, I would risk and move with huge amounts of money home because banks were closing early yet I wanted to work till towards the end of the curfew time,c⬝ Aine says.

c��?But now, I can freely move home knowing that I have little amounts of cash since, by 5 pm, I have banked most of the cash sales,c⬝ Aine, who works close to Stanbic Bank Ishaka branch, adds.

Additional reporting by Collins Kakwezi

Internet photo