Currency Swap Deadline: CBN Seeks Enlightenment For Rural Communities

Officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have asked traders at Yola town market to take the message of the federal government’s extension of the return of old naira notes to February 10, to rural communities of Adamawa state.

The apex bank, director, Internal Audit Department, Mrs Lydia I Alfa, while speaking to traders, Monday, on the development, insisted that the value of the new and old N200, N500 and N1000 notes remains the same.

Alfa told the traders to report anyone who fails to collect the old Naira notes, as punitive measures await defaulters, insisting that both the new and old Naira notes remain legal tender for now.

”CBN has issued a dedicated phone number for people to report any rejection of the old notes till February 10.

She lauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s patriotism for extending the date line, which she said Nigeria’s would clap for the new policy at the end.

Earlier, Jobdi Bawa, leader of grain sellers at the market, decried increase in charge by Point of Sale (PoS) agents, especially in the rural areas.

He said those into PoS business are charging N500 extra on every N10,000 transactions as charges.

Bawa said the extension in the dateline would avail rural dwellers ample time to open an account and deposit their money ahead of the February, 10 dateline.

LEADERSHIP gathered that, shop keepers, who hitherto closed down businesses, have now reopened with the announcement of the new date, while queue for last rush deposit in banks have drastically reduced in the state.