……Old Naira Notes Face-out : Delta State Civil Society Kicks, Urges CBN To Extend Deadline
…. New Naira Notes: CBN Failed in Massive Grassroot Sensitization- Delta CSOs
…..Commercial Banks Yet To Make New Naira Notes Available To Citizens, Delta CSOs cries out.
…..As Group Makes Case For Inclusion of CSOs, NGOs, CBOs For Massive Grassroots Sensitization.
…. CSOs, Group Faults January 31st, 2023 deadline On Face-out of Old Naira Notes
By Victor Bieni, Asaba
Dr. Martins Kedienhon, The President, Delta State Civil Society Community has urged the management of apex Bank, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele to consider today’s call as the voice of the entire Nigeria citizens and stressed the urgent need for extension of deadline for total face-out of old Naira notes, group faults the January 31, 2023 deadline by CBN as well as poor grassroots sensitization.
The leadership of Delta State Civil Society Community as duly signed by its President, Dr. Martins Kedienhon made this disclosure today being on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 In a press statement made available to some group of Journalists in Asaba, Delta State capital as group cries out, stated that Commercial Banks are yet to make available the new Naira notes to Delta and Nigeria citizens, Banks still dispensing, using old Naira notes at counter and non- availability of the Naira notes in the ATM dispensing units of their Banks.
Delta CSOs Community argued that majority of the Local Government Areas in Delta State are yet to know about the deadline due to lack of information, or poor sensitization. The group stated that, grassroots sensitization is key to better awareness creation so as to make citizens aware of the new development in the financial institutions on plans to face-out the old Naira notes in the country seeks the inclusion of Civil Society Organizations and other critical stakeholders towards contributing their quota on deepening grassroots sensitization to meet expectations.
Recall that the apex Bank recently introduced new 1000, 500, 200 Naira notes in the financial system of the country to face-out the old Naira notes as deadline was fixed this month, January 31, 2023. The apex Bank has highlighted the benefits of the currency redesign which was made known to the general Public.
The apex Bank currency management was a key function of the CBN as enshrined in section 2(b) of the CBN Act 2007. The leadership of Delta State Civil Society Community, while stating that the sensitization done by CBN and some other agencies is not enough to make the grassroots populace aware of the new currency redesign and old Naira notes face-out.
The statement reads in parts ” “Delta State Civil Society hereby Call on CBN to increase grassroot Sensitization of new naira notes and extend deadline”. “CIVIL SOCIETY SAY NO TO JANUARY 31, 2023 OLD NAIRA NOTES DEADLINE”. The president call on CBN to increase sensitization of the new naira notes in local communities and also to increase the circulation of the new notes to commercial banks. It is no longer news that the CBN has slated on the 31st of January 2023 as the deadline to end collection of old naira notes”.
” It is a pity that in a democratic country like ours (Nigeria) citizens are not considered in decision making. We were in some villages in UDU Local Government Area of Delta State during our grassroot Voter Education; a good number of persons are not even aware of the production of the new naira note, talk more of the January 31st deadline”.
“To worsen the situations some persons thinks that the new naira notes are fake currencies. All these mal happenings are due to lack of effective sensitization.
The most annoying of all is that, in less than a week, the deadline for the collection of the old notes will reach yet CBN has not released enough new naira notes into circulation. Commercial bank are still giving out old naira notes during counter withdrawal and ATM machines has no money to dispense despite several countless instruction by CBN that commercial banks should load their ATM Machines with new naira notes for dispensing”.
“What a country are we in, where directive are easily given but its not reciprocated with action!. CBN is not ready, if they are ready then they should do the needful. If CBN don’t have the capacity to increase and take Sensitization of new naira notes to the local communities and grassroots then they should consult Civil society Organizations that are experts. One of the guides to break an old habit is to look for an alternative habit. No stopping of old naira notes, when new naira notes are not available for citizens. Civil Society say No to January 31st Deadline!”