Traders Recount Ordeal Over Rejection Of Old Naira Notes In Kwara

Reports from Kwara State reveals that some traders have joined the league of those rejecting the old naira notes ahead of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) deadline.

Naija News reports that more reports have continued to emerge about how businesses are being affected by the rejection of the old naira note.

Earlier, we reported that some beggars in Kaduna State have reportedly joined in rejecting the old ₦1,000, N500 and N200 naira notes from people who offered to help them.

Recall that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, had declared weeks ago that the old naira notes of the three denominations would cease to be valid for any form of financial transactions starting from January 31, 2023.

Naija News learnt from The Nation that
scores of fish and meat sellers in Kwara State could not purchase goods because they still posses the old notes.

And this is as the report says some
automatic teller machines (ATMs) of some banks in the state, contrary to the CBN directives, are still dispensing the old currency.

The CBN had in the last weeks given banks the order to stop dispensing old notes and that only new should be dispensed to customers.

It was learnt that findings by The Nations revealed that at the Abubakar Olusola Saraki Abattoir, Akerebiata, Ilorin, on Tuesday some meat sellers were turned back because they did not have the new naira notes.

One of the traders identified as Yetunde stated that “I was at the abattoir on the fateful day but I did not get meat to buy. My customer did not have cows to slaughter as sellers in far north refused to accept old naira notes. Only butchers that have cows in stock are the ones selling meat to us. I have not been able to supply meat to my customers since Tuesday this week.

“Today (Wednesday) is the Gbugbu Market day. Unfortunately, many of us did not go as the sellers would not accept old naira notes.

“Many of our customers who are predominantly Nupe do not have bank accounts so without new notes they would sell their fish to you,”

Also a pepper soup seller identified as Wunmi said that starting from tomorrow, Thursday January 26th, she would stop accepting cash of old naira notes from her customers.

She said: “From Thursday any customer that does not have new currency can do electronic payment.”