Reporters on the ground found that the majority had come because they were unable to complete the process through the app — due to having changed phones or SIM cards, or failing facial recognition — and were not comfortable using smartphones. First-time traders registering for the programme were also among those in the queues.
One 69 year old registrant said she had arrived before the bank opened and had been issued queue number 69, expecting to be seen sometime in the afternoon. She was registering for the first time, she said, and had come in person to make sure it was done properly. Despite the wait, she was positive about the scheme: even if the benefit wasn’t large, it would help cover everyday staples like rice and dry goods — a meaningful relief, she added, given how bad the economy is right now.
