Council of State supports naira redesign policy, wants ‘aggressive’ circulation – Official
State Correspondent
The National Council of States has declared its support for the naira redesign policy of the federal government, an official has said.
Abubakar Malami, Nigeria’s attorney-general, said this while addressing journalists at the end of the council’s meeting at the State House, Abuja.
He said the council supported the policy but charged the central bank to do more to make the new naira notes available across the country.
“Relating to the Naira redesign policy, the policy stands but then the council agreed that there is need for aggressive action on the part of the CBN as it relates to the implementation of the policy by way of ensuring adequate provision being made with particular regard to the supply of the Naira in the system,” he said.
Mr Malami did not, however, say whether the council called for an extension of the 10 December deadline for the use of the old naira notes.
The meeting attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and many state governors was presided by President Muhammadu Buhari, in presence of at least four former Nigerian leaders.
However, Premium Times reported that some of the attendees at the meeting were aggrieved with how the council discussed the naira controversy.
“A governor was heard telling his colleagues in Hausa that “Since they stopped us from talking inside(the meeting), let’s go and talk outside (to the press)”, the report stated.
Recall that earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court ordered the CBN not to put an end to the use of old naira notes on 10 February as earlier announced.
The interim injunction order was issued by a seven-member panel of the apex court and was led by John Okoro amid an acute scarcity of the newly redesigned N200, N500, and N1,000 currency notes.
Credit: Premium Times
