Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has urged residents of the state to continue to accept the old naira notes as they are legal tenders following the Supreme Court judgment of its validity till December 2023.
The Punch reported that Oyebanji implored business owners to keep abiding by the law and order of the state in a statement.
The governor also pleaded with commercial banks “to make the naira notes available in all their branches and pay points and to all traders, business owners, service providers, okada riders, drivers, filling stations, gas plants, supermarkets, schools, hospitals, POS operators, to start accepting the old notes forthwith.
He stated that any contrary step is against the law of the Supreme Court and would also frustrate the effort of the government to reduce frustration.
In his words,“To do otherwise would amount to defying the ruling of the highest court in the country and thwarting government efforts at reducing the hardship of the people.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on media Yinka Oyebode, disclosed the governor’s admonitions in a statement titled, ‘Oyebanji urges Ekiti residents to accept old naira notes.’
Oyebode stressed saying, “it was unlawful for any business owner or service provider to reject the old notes.
“The government will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute business owners found rejecting the old naira notes,” he added.
In response to the report by residents that businesses are not accepting the old notes, Oyebanji said, “This is an appeal to all residents of Ekiti State to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court which provides a reprieve for the people by extending the validity date of the old naira notes till December 31.
“The state government had joined other states to seek the intervention of the Supreme Court in reversing the new naira policy which the states averred had inflicted excruciating pain and hardship on the people in addition to crippling economic activities.”
He pledged that his administration “will continue to explore avenues to make life more meaningful for our people as we continue to build a more prosperous state.”
