Amby Uneze in Owerri
Despite large crowd of persons at the struggling to return old currency and obtain new naira notes at various banks in Imo State, officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), at the weekend continued their intensive sensitization on the re-designed naira notes of N200, N500 and N1,000, covering about eight markets in Owerri, capital city of Imo State.
The officials had addressed all the representatives of the commercial banks, operating in the state, expressing disgust over some sharp practices uncovered by the team during the on-the-spot assessment of the implementation of the policy.
Led by the CBN director of policy and regulations, Chibuzo Efobi; accompanied by the branch Controller, Boma Oruwari, among others, Efobi, regretted that most commercial banks were not dispensing the new naira notes appropriately via the Automated Teller Machines (ATM).
Efobi, accused the offending banks of keeping the wrapped new notes in docility below the cabin / cartridge of their machines instead of opening them for dispensing to the public, maintaining that the over -the - counter dispensing of the new banknotes was prohibited until after the swap deadline.
He warned the erring commercial banks operators to be careful in the execution of the guidelines during the withdrawal period or face serious sanctions.
The director urged the traders in the markets, other business outlets and the users of the Nigerian currency to abide by all the rules and policy of the apex bank in other not to incur the wrath of the financial laws.
He also encouraged the traders to embrace electronic transactions in their day-to-day businesses, instead of relying on cash businesses.
On the issue of continuous dispensing of the old currency at the banks and Point of Sales (POS), centres, Efobi said: "They remain legal tender until after deadline. You are adviced to continue accepting and exchanging them for businesses. No POS or commercial banks has right to reject the old notes. Please go now and send your old currency for you not to blame yourself.''
Most of the traders and other people expressed concern that after their frantic efforts to exchange their old notes, they still receive old notes in large quantities.
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