I haven’t seen new naira notes, says Governor Ortom

• Backs Senate, Reps call for deadline extension

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has backed calls for the extension of the deadline for changing the old naira notes to the redesigned ones.

He said this on Wednesday, revealing that even as a state governor, he had not seen the new naira notes.

Ortom said he was concerned about the short duration handed to Nigerians to effect the change of their old notes to the new ones considering the rural dwellers who are yet to be aware of the development and the fact that the new notes were scarce.

The governor spoke at the Government House in Makurdi when the Governing Council of Joseph Sarwaaun Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM) paid him a visit.

Ortom said, “As governor, I have not seen any new naira despite six days to the deadline. What will happen to the man in the village? I join the senate in calling for the extension of the change of the currency from the old to the new one.

“Our people are already going through the pains of insecurity in this country. A majority of the people are suffering. Things are not okay in the country, Mr President should know this.”

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had earlier declared that the January 31, 2023 deadline fixed by the apex bank for the return of old N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes would not be extended.

Emefiele urged those who might still be holding on to the old banknotes to turn them in, assuring them they would not be harassed by the anti-graft agencies.

The CBN governor’s comment came just as the Senate and House of Representatives members urged the banking sector regulator to extend the deadline.