It has been watched with dismay how the naira redesign and exchange by Nigerians at the various commercial banks have gone awry in the last two months, but more especially since the beginning of the new year.
It was obvious ab initio, that Nigerians would never be able to meet the January 31 deadline to deposit their money or exchange it for the new notes. Worse, it was feared that moneybags who could afford bullion vans would simply hijack and compromise the process. As with previous government’s policies – fuel price and electricity tariff hikes – which were marred by discordant tunes among government officials, the naira redesign policy had its fair share of rancour between the minister of finance and governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN)
Hardly had these died down than key stalwarts of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) began to cast aspersions on, perhaps, President Muhammadu Buhari’s parting gift to his Countrymen. Recall that Buhari, it was, who effected currency change in 1984 as a masterstroke apparently against hoarders and racketeers who peopled the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) he toppled on December 31, 1983. Thus, not a few people were surprised that even Buhari’s party men neither bought-in into the CBN’s argument of the need to tackle excessive currency holding outside the banking system which had peaked at N2.87trillion nor cared about the efforts to strengthen the cashless policy which is taking firm root in the country.
For instance, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC’s presidential candidate, threw jabs at President Buhari at the party’s campaign rally in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, alleging that some individuals were sabotaging his presidential ambition through the new naira redesign and fuel scarcity. He roared that the authorities were deliberately hoarding petrol and naira notes to affect his chances negatively.
Barely a week later, the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai said the naira redesign makes no “political or economic sense.” He argued that though the policy was the right way to go in achieving the desired change the country yearns for, the timing and deadline set for it negated its purpose. In another breadth, el-Rufai absolved President Buhari of any blame from the mess, but poured expletives on some unnamed people whom he accused of exploiting the President’s desire to enthrone a working Nigeria to frustrate his efforts.
The discordant tunes in the ruling party show clearly that the house was divided against itself. But the impacts on the common man are deplorable.
Even the extension of the deadline to Friday February 10, 2023 has not mitigated the attendant chaos at banks and ATMs to exchange old notes and withdraw new currency. Most banks have returned to the “tally number” of the olden days and cash rationing. Motorists in some areas have stopped accepting old notes, thereby grinding commercial activities.
Worried by their horrible experiences, the people in Katsina had to vent their spleen on the visiting President Buhari last time. The threat of violence by angry and hungry youths forced Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to postpone the Commander-in-Chief’s visit to Kano.
While agreeing with the CBN governor that it is customary for central banks to redesign and issue new currency notes every five to eight years and that the naira had not undergone such a change in the last 20 years, the pains, anguish and disorderliness that have characterised the ongoing exercise so far have clearly negated the intendments. The CBN must tackle seriously the lapses, especially sabotage on the part of bankers who would rather sell to preferred customers. More importantly, within the remaining days, it must make arrangements to ensure adequate supply of the new notes across the country.
Written by TONY OKAFOR
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