Governor Zulum and members of CBN team on new naira notes during a courtesy call at the Government House, Maiduguri.
By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has lamented over the non availability of the new naira notes contrary to the CBN directives for compliance on or before 31st January, 2023.
Governor Zulum also suggested that there was need for special consideration to Borno citizens, who are illiterates with no internet or ICT facilities, especially at the rural areas..
He disclosed this on Friday when the CBN team on new naira notes paid him a courtesy call at the Government House, Maiduguri.
Expressing concern on behalf of Borno people, Governor Zulum urged the apex bank as a matter of importance to reconsider its end of the month of January 2023 deadline, stressing that, the time frame, circulation and availability of the new naira notes and withdrawal of the old naira notes at the remote areas and border towns could face some challenges.
He said: “The circulation of the redesigned new naira notes, especially in Borno state, which has left many communities in economic hardships and serious social challenges coupled with inaccessibility of 25 LGAs of the state that have no ICT facilities or bank or financial organizations except in two LGAs of the state out of the 27 LGAs of the due to Boko haram insecurity”.
Zulum told the leader of the CBN Mobilization team, who is also the CBN Director of Statistics Department, Dr. Mohammad T. Mala, that out of the 27 LGAs, only two towns in two LGAs made up of Maiduguri, and Biu have functional banks, while the remaining areas have been without bank facilities for the past decades, in addition to destructions of telecommunication facilities and financial institutions perpetrated by the Boko haram insurgents.
” Borno State Government is really in support of the CBN policy in redesigned new naira notes, as it will have a long run positive effect on Nigerians, but sincerely speaking, all the infrastructures needed to implement this new CBN’s policy are not in existence in many parts or communities of Borno.
“As it is, out of the 27 local government areas, only three, made up of Maiduguri, Jere and Biu have a functional banks, while the remaining ones have been without banks for the past decades, in addition to destructions of telecommunication facilities and financial institutions perpetrated by insurgents.
“If as governor, i do not have the new naira notes currently, what of a poor person in the village or on the streets?. Just last week, the Borno state government under my leadership has approved the release of the sum of N800 million to cushion the hardship faced by our repentant Boko Haram Terrorists, so how do CBN expect these repentant terrorists who are still under the custody of our security operatives to come out to exchange their old naira notes or open an account with commercial banks.
“Secondly, it is disheartening to inform you that there is no vehicle that had access to Kala- Balge local government area for the past seven (7) months due to the terrain and insecurity. There are thousands of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Kala- Balge who are currently faced with hunger.
“This is because, they only travel about 16kms by canoe to buy food items from neighbouring communities of Cameroon Republic, unfortunately, i was told last week that these traumatized people could no longer buy food items from neighbouring Cameroon communities who are largely rejecting the old naira notes.
” Go to Kukawa local government area, or Baga, Banki and even some parts of peaceful Southern Borno senatorial district, there are still pockets of insurgents, but i assure you that Borno state government will provide security cover to you people if you are ready to take the new naira notes in exchange with the old notes to ensure that our people are not shortchanged by this policy”. Zulum said.
He however lamented that “even in Monguno where we have over 700,000 IDPs, the Information and Communication Technology, ICT is totally not available, so how can this be possible? I believe as government, we set up a policy to benefit mankind or ease the hardship of the generality of the people, but in this situation, the reverse is the case, especially to Borno and Yobe states which is now coming out from its decades insecurity.”
Earlier in his remark, Dr. Mohammed Mala said, CBN management has directed all its Directors to return home to all the states of the federation to resolve all issues and challenges associated with the usage of the new currency.
“We are in Borno to ensure level of compliance by commercial banks and its customers for dispatching the new naira notes, and withholding of the old currency in circulation.
“As the sons and daughters of the soil, we are in the state for two mandates which include; to ensure the new naira notes are in circulation in Nigeria, especially in hinterlands and rural communities ahead of the 31st January 2023 dateline for the old currency seize to be a legal tender,.
He added that their mission was also to ascertain or ensure all banks including other financial institutions fully comply with the CBN directives on the new naira notes by making them available in their ATM machines and POS machines while CBN is also planning for establishment of CBN Agents to facilitates the circulation of the new naira notes and collection or withdrawal of the old naira notes.
“We have been on ground monitoring the development, as we appeal to the State Government to provide adequate security cover for our Team as we visit communities” Mala said.
