Akwa Ibom residents raise alarm over Banks’ rejection of old notes

Residents of Akwa Ibom State, have raised the alarm over the rejection of the old Naira notes by some commercials banks in the state.Information Guide Nigeria

This is happening almost one week before the January 31, 2023 deadline set by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to phase out the notes.

Some officials of the CBN led by the Branch Controller Uyo, Mrs. Mercy Itohan Ogbomon-Paul visited communities on Thursday to monitor the ongoing Cash Swap by money agents dispatched to the rural areas of the state.

Bank customers who spoke to newsmen on the issue said they felt worried and sad when they were refused to deposit their old Naira notes by some Banks located in rural communities.

A man identified as Dr Ekpo lamented: “This morning at about 9:00am I went to the bank to deposit the old notes that I have, but the person in charge told me that they have stopped collecting the old notes, that I should go to Eket LGA to deposit the money.

“And I asked why I should go to another location to deposit a little amount of money when there is bank here. So I felt so bad about that because we know the CBN directive says that the exercise will terminate on the 31st of this January”JAMB portal

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A commercial tricycle operator from Ikot Ekpene, who simply identified himself as Okon appreciated the CBN for the CashSwap initiative but appealed to them to extend the deadline to help the rural people.

“If the CBN refused to extend the deadline to at least another one week many people in the communities will lose their money because I learnt some commercial Banks in the rural areas stopped collecting the old Notes from their customers, but we are told that people can deposit old notes till January 31st”, Okon said.

Also, at Nsit Ubium, the Oku Ibom Ibibio and President General Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Council, HRM, Solomon Etuk said: ” I am thankful to God for this Cash Swap initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria. The management has done very well by identifying the challenges of people in the communities. This is a relief. The people are delighted.NYSC portal

” I am speaking as the voice o the people I appeal again to the management of the CBN to please extend the deadline for phasing out the old Naira notes, because if they don’t our people are going to lose a lot of money”

Addressing traders in Okobo and Oron LGAs, the Uyo Branch controller of CBN, Mrs. Mercy Ogbomon-Paul advised them to ensure they took all the old notes to the bank.

She appealed to those without bank accounts to open a bank account immediately.

The rural areas where the CBN staff visited to monitor its recently launched Cash Swap Programme were Ikot Ekpene, and Ibiono Ibom local areas, Odobo market in Okobo LGA, the Crayfish market, the Oron beach in Oron LGA, and Nto Ndang community in Obot Akara LGA.JAMB Result

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