From Victor Osula, Abuja
Members of the Council of State on Friday directed the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele to either recirculate old naira notes or print new notes.
At a meeting held at the Presidential Villa, and presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, the members comprising former head of state and presidents, some governors, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the federation, Malam Abubakar Malami and Mr Emefiele who was invited to brief the meeting just like the Inspector General of Police, Baba Alkali and Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, prof Mahmood Yakubu, agreed on the need for the CBN to take proactive action to reduce the ongoing pains and suffering of Nigerians occasioned by the implementation of the policy.
Though the Council of State members unanimously stated support for the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), they were of the opinion that the apex bank must ease the suffering of Nigerians.
According to Malami who spoke to State House Correspondents after the meeting alongside Governor Dairus Ishaku of Taraba State, “there was need for aggressive action on the part of the CBN to implement the naira redesign policy with adequate supply of naira.”
Governor Dairu said the policy is accepted generally. The problem is with the implementation. The CBN is directed to make the new naira available. If it is finding difficulty in printing new notes, it should put the old money in the system and circulate.”
