Ho, July 03, GNA - Five banks operating at Ho visited by Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Tuesday when the new Ghana cedis went into circulation, were choked with customers seeking to make withdrawals. They were, Barclays, Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), National Investment Bank (NIB), SG-SSB and an agency of North-Tongu Rural Bank. Mr Emmanuel Affum, Ho Branch Manager of GCB said the surge by the customers was out of curiosity to see and have the new notes because the crowd "was unusual at this time of the month when payment of public sector salaries was one-and-a-half weeks old."

He gave the assurance that all customers who entered the bank to transact business during working hours, would be served. "The management of Bank of Ghana has assured us that money was available for our customers," Mr Affum added.

At the Barclays Bank curious school children looked on with glee and begged to see the new cedi notes as customers withdrew money from the teller machines.

Mr Seth Gomnah, Accountant at the Ho agency of North-Tongu Rural Bank, said by 0800 hours a queue had formed at the bank's premises but quickly cleared when the bank started working.

He said customers had difficulty in writing the amount they sought to withdraw in the new notes and had to be assisted. Mr Gomnah said some customers used their old chequebooks and did not purchase counter cheques to re-write their cheques. He said the bank experienced an increase in the opening of new accounts.