Cleric asks FG, CBN to bring new naira swap to markets, churches

A minister in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, has pleaded with the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to act quickly and save ordinary Nigerians from the effects of the scarcity of the redesigned naira notes through direct exchange of N200, N500 and N1000 notes.

Pastor Kingsley Nwachukwu, founder and chief minister of Eleutheria Church in Port Harcourt made the call based on his observation of the artificial scarcity of new naira notes and its dire consequences for the common people.

He said the presidency and the CBN have a duty to save the masses who he believes are caught in the battle between the CBN and the commercial banks accused of hoarding the new naira notes.

Nwachukwu spoke at the Correspondents Chapel Press Week 2022/2023 thanksgiving service.

The cleric urged authorities to use the extended 10 days to mobilize teams to churches, mosques and markets to dispose of old banknotes in exchange for new ones so that the masses are not subjected to the suffering caused by the artificial scarcity would cause in society.

He said that the CBN and the FG can also visit the markets and churches to teach the people how to access the e-Wallet so that they can start cashless transactions.

He noted that those opposed to the naira redesign policy appear to be collaborating with commercial banks to stop the policy by forcing the common man into suffering and mass hysteria that could lead to protest.

He warned that the masses may not survive the election date, let alone vote if the situation is not adequately addressed, and urged the CBN to move to churches and markets to dispose of old banknotes from the common people and to give them new banknotes.

In his sermon titled “Divine Visitation,” the cleric appealed to the people of Nigeria to try to attract divine visitations, reminding them that something must be done by an individual, a family, a group or a nation to attract divine intervention.

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