Bassey Inyang in Calabar
Apparently disturbed by the large number of people trooping to the few available banks in the hinterlands of Cross River State, to deposit their old currencies in exchange for the newly redesigned Naira notes, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has advised dwellers in rural communities in the state to deposit their old notes with, PoS operators in their communities.
Officials of the CBN branch from Calabar who are on a 5-days sensitization visit to the largely semi-urban and rural communities in the Central and Northern parts of the state gave the advise as they visit communities in the area.
The CBN team led by Deputy Director, Banking Supervision Department, Amonia Opusunju, saw crowds in and around the few banks they visited in Ogoja, Yala, and Bekwarra Local Government Areas of the Northern zone of the state.
The CBN team which also visited markets, motor parks, and Palace of a traditional ruler in Bekwarra urged the people to deposit their old notes in their bank accounts through PoS agents.
The CBN official said the measure was necessary because the January 31st, 2023 deadline will be strictly adhered to by the apex bank.
He warned banks in the areas he visited to stop dispensing old notes, else they will be sanctioned.
When the CBN team visted Ogoja, and Yala local Government Areas of most of the old people, and some uninformed youths lamented that they have no bank accounts to deposit their old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes.
In Bekwarra LGA, also in northern Cross River State, the story was the same when the CBN team got to the area.
During their visit on Wednesday to the traditional ruler of Oti West Clan, Eya Atahere Village, Nyanya-Ulim , His Highness Chief Oniga Stephen, he told the CBN team that the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has visited them lately to sensitise the people on the said deadline. He however assured the team of the palace commitment to sensitise the people.
Stephen said the major challenges in his domain and most of the rural communities are that most people do not have bank accounts, and banks are far from the villages.
On Tuesday in Ugep, and Ekori communities in Yakurr Local Government Area, bank some account holders complained to the CBN officials that banks in the areas are hoarding the new naira notes.
The CBN team was also informed that most of the Automated Teller Machines , ATM, in the area were not dispensing cash of whatever denomination.
While narrating their ordeals, some of the residents at the ATM stands lamented that only N20,000 minimum was being dispensed in a day.
In Ekori community, a trader, Innocent Omini told the CBN team that he has not come across the new notes since it circulation.
Omini pleaded with CBN to extend the date:
“I have not set my eyes on that money since the circulation and none of my customer in this village has bought something from me with the money, that is to say, they don’t have it,” Omini said. Some POS agents lamented over the scarcity of the new Naira notes in the rural communities.
