CBO mandates banks to provide banking access to special needs customers

Given the importance of enabling persons with disabilities to benefit from banking services, and given the Central Bank’s continuous endeavour to achieve financial inclusion and to deliver banking services to all segments of society equally without any discrimination, the Central Bank of Oman has issued a set of special directives targeted at providing convenient banking services to persons with disabilities. The directives have been issued in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Development, concerned NGOs, and the Oman Banks Association.

The new set of instructions mandate all local banks to upgrade their banking infrastructure across their network of branches so that customised banking services can be provided to the people with disabilities with much ease and in a friendly and amicable manner. The directives also require the banks to open and operate at least one dedicated branch for the people with disabilities in each of the governorates of the Sultanate of Oman.

Emphasising the need to take advantage of the modern and secure financial technologies, the new directives call upon the banks to develop latest and customized banking applications for this segment of people, enabling them to avail banking and associated services with much ease and convenience.

Provision of appropriate and targeted training opportunities to bank employees has also been emphasized as part of the new directives so that the trained bank staff can effectively deliver banking services to the persons with disabilities.