The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) , has asserted that the new naira notes are available and ready to be picked up, but the commercials banks have however according to the nation’s apex bank failed to show enthusiasm about this.
It will be recalled that the apex bank had on October 26 last year announced that circulation of the newly redesigned N100, N200, N500 and N1000 naira notes would begin on December 15.
CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele had added that the move was to counter terrorism financing, hoarding of banknotes by members of the public, with statistics showing that over 85 per cent of monies in circulation were outside the vaults of the commercial banks.
The old naira notes will cease to be legal tender by January 31.
However, there have been concerns over this as the new notes are hard to find less than two weeks to the January 31 deadline.
The CBN had taken different measures, including banning over the counter payment with the new notes in order to make it available to Nigerians..
The apex bank had also directed commercial banks to fill their ATMs with the new notes .
Team@orientactualmags.com learned Head of legal department of the apex bank, Kofo Salam-Alada, said during a sensitization programme in Lagos, that the CBN will go tough on commercial banks that continue to fill their ATM machines with old naira notes.
‘I can tell you today that the CBN on a daily basis issues new notes. As we speak, commercial banks are with the CBN taking money. We are actually begging commercial banks to come and take money from the Central Bank. We have these new naira notes in our vaults, and we are begging commercial banks to come and pick up the new notes.
We found out that a lot of things are happening that we need to checkmate, so we stopped withdrawal of new notes over the counter to ensure that everyone can have access to it and not one chief who is known to the manager will just walk in, and cart away all the new notes at a particular branch. That is why we said it should be in the ATMs which cannot distinguish people.
We also have monitors going around commercial banks now. I have been to some ATMs this morning and I have done the reports. We are not mobilizing the masses against the commercial banks because they are there to serve you, but be rest assured that they will serve you now that they know that the CBN is on them to serve you with the new naira notes’ he said -Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980. Thank you
