From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
Officials of the Kogi State Government and stakeholders on Monday in Lokoja stormed the streets of Lokoja to sensitize the citizenry on the need to accept the old naira notes in line with the ruling of the Supreme Court.
The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Kingsley Fanwo who addressed market women and Okada riders in Lokoja congratulated Nigerians over the Supreme Court judgement, saying the people can now use both the old and new naira notes together till December 31, 2023.
“We have met with the banks and they have agreed that they will accept old naira notes as deposits. So we urge all Okada riders, Keke riders and market men and women to accept the old naira notes for services.”
“The State Government is grateful to the banks for their cooperation and commitment to the ruling of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. It is criminal to reject old naira notes after the judgement”, he said.
In the same vein, the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd) harped on the need for Kogites to co-operate with the State Government in her bid to ease the current financial strains occasioned by the current cash policy.
In his remarks, Mukadam Asiwaju Idris Asiru said the banks are already accepting old notes as deposits, adding that he has gotten the commitment of the banks to load their ATM with old and new naira notes to ease the cash scarcity in the state.
The representatives of the major banks in Lokoja also assured the people of their readiness to accept old naira notes as deposits. They said the directive took effect from Monday urging customers to freely accept old naira notes.
The sensitization train visited all transport unions, fuel stations and major markets in Lokoja.
