President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday called on Nigerians urged to give him seven days to resolve the cash crisis that has been created across the country by the policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria to redesign the higher denomination of Naira notes.
Buhari spoke at the Presidential Villa in Abuja when he met with the Progressive Governors Forum whose members were at the Villa to seek solutions to the cash crunch which they said was threatening the records of the administration in transforming the economy.
A statement from the president’s media office said Buhari promised to revert to the CBN and the Minting Company after which a decision will be taken.
Buhari said the currency re-design will give a boost to the economy and provide long-term benefits while expressing doubts about the commitment of banks in particular to the success of the policy.
“Some banks are inefficient and only concerned about themselves… Even if a year is added, problems associated with selfishness and greed won’t go away”, the President said.
He said he had seen television reports about cash shortages and hardship to local businesses and ordinary people and gave assurances that the balance of seven of the 10-day extension will be used to crackdown on whatever stood in the way of successful implementation.
The Governors told the President that, while they agreed that his decision on the renewal of currency was good and they are fully in support, its execution had been botched and their constituents were becoming increasingly upset.
They told the President that, as leaders of the government and party in their different states, they were becoming anxious about a slump in the economy and the series of elections that are coming. They requested the President to use his powers to direct the concurrent flourish of the new and old notes till the end of the year.
The President said when he considered giving the approval to the policy, he demanded an undertaking from the CBN that no new notes will be printed in a foreign country and they in turn gave him assurances that there was enough capacity, manpower and equipment to print the currency for local needs. He said he needed to go back to find out what was actually happening.
President Buhari told the governors that, being closer to the people, he had heard their cries and will act with a view to providing a solution soon.
