Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed on Friday made a shocking revelation that the Federal Government was not consulted and carried along in the plan by the Central Bank of Nigeria to redesign the Naira notes.
She was speaking before members of the Senate at the budget defence where she was asked over the impact of the plan to change Naira notes at this time.
“Distinguished Senators, we were not consulted at the Ministry of Finance by CBN on the planned naira redesigning and cannot comment on it as regards merits or otherwise.
“However as a Nigerian privileged to be at the top of Nigeria’s fiscal management, the policy as rolled out at this time, portends serious consequences on the value of Naira to other foreign currencies.
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“I will however appeal to this committee to invite the CBN governor for required explanations as regards merits of the planned policy and rightness or otherwise of its implementation now,” she said.
Her statements were in response to Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who had demanded from the Minister why the decision was impacting so immediately on the Dollar-Naira exchange rate.
NPO Reports that the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefielehad Wednesday told Nigerians of plans to redesign the Nigerian currency, starting from N200 denomination to N1,000 notes.
Since his announcement, the matter has generated huge reactions.
Emefiele had said at the press briefing announcing the redesign that the last time the Naira was redesigned was 20 years ago.
He said, “Although global best practice is for central banks to redesign, produce and circulate new local legal tender every 5–8 years, the Naira has not been redesigned in the last 20 years.
“On the basis of these trends, problems, and facts, and in line with Sections 19, Subsections a and b of the CBN Act 2007, the Management of the CBN sought and obtained the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to redesign, produce, and circulate new series of banknotes at N100, N200, N500, and N1,000 levels,” he said.
According to the governor, the CBN has finalised arrangements for the new currency to begin circulation from December 15, 2022.
He said the new and existing currencies will remain legal tender and circulate together until January 31, 2023 when the existing currencies shall cease to be legal tender.
He also said all commercial banks currently holding the existing denominations of the currency may begin returning these notes back to the CBN effective immediately.
“The newly designed currency will be released to the banks in the order of first-come-first- serve basis,” he said.
“Customers of banks are enjoined to begin paying into their bank accounts the existing currency to enable them withdraw the new banknotes once circulation begins in mid-December 2022.
“All banks are therefore expected to keep their currency processing centers open from Monday to Saturday so as to accommodate all cash that will be returned by their customers.”
He said for the purpose of this transition from existing to new notes, bank charges for cash deposits are hereby suspended.
However, deposits above N150,000 will still attract charges.
“We would like to use this opportunity to reassure the general public that the CBN would continue to monitor both the financial system in particular, and the economy in general, and always act in good faith for the achievement of the Bank’s objectives and the betterment of the country,” Mr Emefiele said.