Morocco Faces ATM Cash Shortage Crisis Ahead of Eid al-Adha

The scene in front of the ATMs is frequent. But it irritates Moroccans because it occurs at a time when they really need money. Heads of households are touring the ATMs. No cash. The president of the Moroccan Association for Consumer Protection and Guidance (AMPOC), Bouazza Kherrati, is angry. "Often, during the Eid period, the ATMs let down consumers in the same way. This is a breach of the contract signed between the consumer and the bank, which emphasizes the availability of cash in the ATMs for the benefit of the customer whenever he wishes to withdraw his money," reports Hespress. According to him, this kind of situation makes the existence of ATMs, designed for emergencies and periods when banks are closed, useless.

The president of AMPOC believes that "banks do not respect the terms of the contract binding them to the consumer and act in a dominant position." He calls on Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM) to correct the situation to "allow the availability of money in the ATMs during this period of Eid sheep purchase."

A.M is one of these many people in this situation. It’s not his first experience, but he’s having a hard time digesting the situation. "It’s the weekend, I go to the ATM of my bank to withdraw money that was supposed to be used for the purchase of the Eid sheep. And there, they tell me insufficient funds. No problem, I move to another ATM of my bank, same problem. I found myself touring the ATMs of my bank, but in vain," he laments.

Questioned about the situation, a banker who requested anonymity confided to Hespress that "every Friday and in general, the banks supply the ATMs sufficiently. But with the period of religious holidays, especially Eid Al Adha, the demand is higher than the available funds. This causes a lack of liquidity at the ATM level."