By Kamsi Anayo
There is palpable confusion in Anambra state as business transactions are gradually crumbling over the rejection of old naira notes.
An investigation by our Correspondent who monitored the situation within the state on Wednesday reported that some business operators have started rejecting the old naira notes.
Mostly tricycle and motorcycle operators also known as keke and ‘okada’, respectively, petty traders, PoS (Point of Sale) operators and others were rejecting the old naira notes from their customers.
The commercial banks in Onitsha, the commercial hub of the state and environs were not helping matters.
Most of them had yet to obey the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive to start giving out the new Naira notes to customers to beat the Jan.31 old notes circulation deadline.
The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, on Tuesday said that the Jan. 31 deadline to stop the circulation of old naira notes in the country will not be extended.
The CBN Governor said that the 90 days period of grace to Nigerians to take their old currencies to the bank was enough and urged people to ensure that they beat the deadline.
Perhaps, this is the major fear from the apex bank to the people.
Speaking with our Correspondent, a resident, Mr Israel Okeke, called on the CBN as well as the Federal Government to find a way to extend the deadline of the old naira notes in circulation.
He explained that as of today, most banks in the state still paid customers with the same old naira notes.
“I was in the bank today to withdraw, we withdrew N100, 000 and do you know what? All the money given to us were old notes.
“We requested new notes but to our surprise, they said no new note is available.
“Now, how can you imagine that the same money is being rejected by traders and business people in the same state.”
Also speaking, a street petty trader at Attah Road, Nkpor, Madam Betty Peters, said she had decided not to open her shop till the end of the month for fear of receiving old notes.
She said, “I have told my customers not to bother to come to my shop till next month as I will not open for business.
“I don’t want to collect money that will expire in my house,” She explained.
She however appealed to the Federal Government to look into the plight of Nigerians and extend the time frame for the old naira notes in circulation.
Mr Elijah Ikeh, a commercial Keke rider also expressed the same fear, but with carefulness because people including his family will suffer the rejection of the new naira notes except the matter is resolved without delay.
The Senate has called on the CBN to extend the deadline for the circulation of the old Naira notes from the Jan. 31 deadline to July 31.
The Senators who deliberated on the matter at plenary on Tuesday argued that the new Naira notes are not available in the banks at the Automated Teller Machine points.
The Senator representing Kwara North, Sen. Sadiq Umar, moved a motion on the floor of the Senate to demand the extension of the current CBN deadline of Jan. 31 to July 31.
