Residents Hit Delta Streets To Protest New Naira Scarcity

Delta State residents have reportedly taken to the streets to protest the scarcity of the new naira notes at commercial banks and Point of Sales (POS) terminals.

Naija News learnt that there were demonstrations on Friday (today) in Uvwie and Warri South Local Government Area of the state as residents vent their anger on the federal government over the redesign of the country’s currency amid other cases of hardship in Nigeria.

Scores of market women reportedly barricaded the Warri-Sapele Road and NPA Expressway, ground activities in the areas. The protesters, according to reports, also laid invaded some commercial banks located near Main Market, Warri.

It was gathered that market traders were with placards with different kinds of inscriptions and leaves, lamenting the inability to sell their goods in the past few days.

Reports also said the residents burnt tyres along the ever-busy roads, rejecting the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The citizens demanded that commercial banks release their money to enable them to carry out their legitimate businesses.

“Our fish dey spoil o, our foods dey rotten,” these were the words of some of the protesting women from the main Market axis of Warri Sapele Road to Delta Broadcasting Station located at the Edjeba axis of NPA Expressway in Warri South Local Government Area, Naija News learnt.

It was gathered that security operatives tried to pacify the aggrieved traders, but they insisted on collecting their money from banks.

“Our children are hungry, we cannot sell, we cannot do transfer, we cannot withdraw our money. I stayed in shop throughout yesterday and sold nothing. People who want to buy things tried to transfer money but could not,” Daily Trust quoted one of the women to have said.

Naija News reports that the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, announced in October last year, the plan to redesign the N200, N500, and ₦1,000 notes.

The project was eventually done and the apex bank Governor asked Nigerians to deposit their old notes before January 31, 2023, when they would cease to be legal tender.

Subsequently, the deadline was shifted to February 10, following lamentations by many Nigerians.