IT was a ‘dry’ Christmas for many workers in the Tamale metropolis as they could not collect their salaries from their various banks before the long Christmas weekend, owing to a combination of problems.

For some, even the extension of working hours by two major banks in the metropolis, the Ghana Commercial Bank and the Agricultural Development Bank on Friday did not help.

An official of the GCB said though the bank extended its closing time on Friday to 11 p.m., it could still not serve all its customers because they were too many.

At the ADB, the Times learnt that many of the customers were not paid their salaries because of a computer problem on Thursday.

A number of customers of the Bonzati Rural Bank also went home on Friday disappointed because the bank had not received cheques for their salaries.

Some of those affected told the Times yesterday that their inability to cash their salaries had made it impossible for them to present seasonal gifts to their friends and family members.

However, churches in the metropolis marked Christmas with customary activities such as carols nights, vigils and fund-raising durbars in aid of the needy and the sick.

Preaching the sermon at the Global Evangelical Church, the Reverend Manfred Fiakpui, the district pastor, urged authorities of the area to always remember God and seek His guidance in their daily activities.

He deplored poverty situation in the region but stated that with hard work, poverty could be eradicated.

He appealed to the government and the security agencies to join hands with religious bodies to protect the nation from gays and lesbians activities.

At the OLA Cathedral, Dr. Eugene Suom-Dery, called on Christians to live up to their responsibilities to ensure national peace at all times.

He emphasised that the greatest gift of God to mankind was peace hence the need for all to refrain form vices such as greed and hatred which, he said, lead to conflicts and divisions among people.