Reject Old Naira Notes, Go To Jail, Oyebanji Tells Ekiti Business Owners

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has appealed to residents to continue to accept the old and new naira notes as means of transactions in line with the Supreme Court judgment which extended the validity of the N500, and N1000 old notes till December 2023.

The governor appealed to all businesses operating in Ekiti State to remain law abiding and accept the old naira notes.

He also urged 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.

“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,” he said.

The governor, in a statement on Saturday, by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, titled, “Oyebanji urges Ekiti residents to accept old naira notes’, said it was unlawful for any business owner or service provider to reject the old notes, adding that the “government will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute business owners found rejecting the old naira notes”.

While expressing concern over complaints that many business concerns in the state refused to accept the old naira notes as means of transaction, 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 enjoined that as honourable people, what is expected of them is to abide by the ruling of the apex court and continue to accept the old naira notes as means of transactions and not to inflict further hardship on one another by rejecting it.

He pledged that his government will continue to explore avenues to make life more meaningful for our people as we continue to build a more prosperous state.