New Currency Sensitization: CBN visits Olu, local markets in Warri

By Sylvester Idowu, Warri

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday stepped up it sensitisation and awareness campaign on the redesigned new naira notes to the palace of Olu of Warri and major markets in Warri and its environs.

Team leader of the apex bank and representative of the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, a Deputy Director of Finance, Mr. Sunny Amorighoye Daibo, said the traditional institutions remained critical in the sensitisation of the public, particularly the rural dwellers on the naira redesign programme.

Speaking when the team paid a courtesy call on the Olu of Warri palace, before the advocacy visits to markets in Warri, Daibo emphasized that the team’s deployment to Warri was to sensitize the people about the new naira notes and ensure compliance in the disbursement of the new naira notes.

He disclosed that the advocacy was being carried out in all the senatorial zones across the country and solicited for the support and the cooperation of the royal institutions in Delta State towards ensuring the success of the policy.

Though the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse lll was unavailable, the traditional chiefs led by Chief Yaya Pessu however commended the Federal Government for deeming it fit to redesign the naira at a crucial time in the country’s history, as well as praised the CBN for embarking on the awareness exercise.

Oluaye of Warri kingdom, Chief Eugene Ikomi urged the central bank to review the January 31 deadline upwards noting that “up till now, so many people haven’t seen the new naira notes in Warri and its environs”

He recounted his experience on how he went to one of the banks in Warri yesterday only to be paid with the “outgoing naira notes” and urged the apex bank to urgently addressed the challenges faced by the people.

The Ogwa-Olusan of Warri kingdom and former Assistant General Manager, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting PLC, Chief Brown Mene urged the apex bank to activate it’s inspectorate unit to ensure that the commercial banks adhered to it’s directives.

“There is a need for Central Bank of Nigeria to sit up and do something about the refusal of the commercial banks to comply with it’s directives. If need be, wild the big stick. CBN has the powers to ensure commercial banks operate within its policies”, he added.

The CBN team later stormed the popular Igbudu market where traders were sensitized about the redesigned naira notes and assured them of the availability of the new currency.