Ahead of the January 31, 2023 deadline day for banks to stop dispensing the old noted, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) team, who monitored the implementation of the policy yesterday discovered high level of non-compliance by some of the banks on the Uyo metro, Akwa Ibom state capital yesterday.
LEADERSHIP Friday gathered that while two of the CBN’s teams visited various banking locations in different streets on the capital, the third team embarked on sensitization tour to some markets to educate market women on the new monetary policy and the deadline for the old currencies to serve as legal tender.
It was learnt that while some banks have started complying, others were yet to fully comply, especially in the rural areas, amid complaints by angry customers.
“I have been around since morning but I can’t withdraw because they are telling us that there is no cash.” Effiong Emmanuel, a customer at the Udo Udoma Banking Layout, lamented and urged the officials of the CBN to address what he described as “the liquidity issues.”
Further checks revealed that some ATM machines in most banks could not remit cash, and officials blamed the shortage of the new notes as the major reason they could not load their machines with cash.
Meanwhile, CBN has been commended for the ongoing enlightenment campaign for Nigerians to embrace the new currency redesignation policy.
The commendations were made when officials of the CBN, Akwa Ibom State branch took the sensitization exercise on the new naira notes to Itam Park and Itam Market all within the Uyo metropolis.
The CBN officials led by the deputy director, Abuja office, Mr Ekanem Akpan and assistant director, head banking, Uyo branch, Mr Isang Agbomi had visited the park and the market with thousands of flyers for the sensitization exercise.
