THE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has made further appealed to Akwa Ibom state residents to return the old notes of N1000, N500, and N200 to the banks before January 31, 2023 when they would be phased out of circulation completely.
The Deputy director of CBN, Mr. Dominic Ekanemesang, made the appeal on Sunday when he led other officials of the Apex bank to some Churches within the metropolis to sensitise them on the newly redesigned Naira notes and its cashless policy.
Speaking at Sacred Heart Catholic Parish, Aka Offot, Uyo, Ekanemesang advised the congregation to embrace its cashless policy because it has come to stay.
He reiterated the commitment and determination of the CBN to achieving a cashless economy, stressing that its cashless policy aims at reducing too much money in circulation in the country.
His words: “We are here to carry out sensitisation on the new currency redesign. I’m sure all of us here are aware that we have new notes of N1000, N500 and N200 and that after January 31, 2023 the old notes will cease to be legal tender.
” You are also aware that the three higher denominations are mostly used for illicit transactions such as, kidnapping, terrorism financing and money laundering. So we are not going to have the newly redesigned notes much in circulation because we are moving to a cashless economy.
“We want to ensure that we don’t have too much money in circulation. Please pass this message to your relatives, parents, sisters and brothers that the cashless policy has come to stay; we want to safeguard our financial system.
“Also we want to bring the citizens into the financial system, so if you don’t have a Bank account this is an opportunity for you to go and open a bank account and deposit the old notes into your account.
“Please this is an appeal. Central Bank of Nigeria will not want any bank customer to lose his or her money. So please return all the three higher denomination of the old Naira notes to the bank on or before January 31”
