The Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), has issued a clarification on claims that it’s directed commercial banks to dispense and accept the deposit of old Naira notes amid the raging currency crisis.
Acting Director of Corporate Communication CBN, Dr. Isa AbdulMumin, in an interview yesterday, clarified that there is no statement from the apex bank telling commercial banks to dispense and accept the old N500 and N1000 notes from Nigerians.
AbdulMumin was reacting to a statement by the Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, claiming the apex bank had directed commercial banks to dispense and accept the old notes.
Reports at the weekend quoted Governor Soludo as directing residents in Anambra State to use the old N200, N500, and N1, 000 currency notes for their transactions alongside the re-coloured naira banknotes.
Soludo, according to the report, had said the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, personally confirmed the development to him in a telephone conversation on Sunday night after the Bankers’ Committee meeting.
However, the CBN Spokesman said, “Governor Charles Soludo’s statement emanates from him, not the Central Bank of Nigeria. The Central Bank has not issued any statement directing banks on a collection of old naira notes. I am sure sometime in the future; the bank will issue a statement”.
