Queues persist at Anambra banks after CBN renewal

While the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) extended the exchange of old naira banknotes until February 10, 2023, bank customers in Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka, the capital of Anambra area, continued to witness hardships in exchanging the old currency and collecting the new.

This was discovered then Nigerian stand visited major banks in Awka area, including banks at Ukwuoji, Eke-Awka-as, along the Regina Caeli Enugu/Onitsha highway, where people were seen in each of the banks in their numbers Automated Teller Machine (ATM), points that struggled to get the new naira notes.

Also depositors of the old currency were seen in the banks trying to deposit the money.

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During the visit to the banks, it was noted that only one ATM would work in each of the banks, causing more problems for customers, the majority of whom claimed to have come to the banks very early in the morning from communities around Awka North and South Council Areas and beyond.

Speaking to our correspondent, some people who came to withdraw money from the banks, including Mr. Sunday Richard from Mgbakwu in Awka North Local Government Area, and Lady Nkechi Okpala, a resident of Awka, said that many people, especially the old men and women in the remote areas have been suffocated by the new development lamenting that the situation has cost them their time for days as they have not gone to work in the struggle to deposit the old currency and also get the new one for food and other expenses like most merchants no longer accept the old currency.

Regretting that they have no money to support themselves and their families due to the scarcity of new naira notes, they blamed CBN for the hardship people are currently going through because of the money exchange, saying that if the top bank had provided enough of the new currency in banks across the country a few weeks ago that the masses would not have gone through the current situation they described as horrific.

Indeed, Mr Daniel Obiorah of Mgbakwu, who praised the central bank for the move, said it would help achieve its primary goal of suppressing politicians with moneybags in next month’s general election, adding that although people are now really suffer they will soon get over it.

Customers are also witnessing similar experiences in the trading cities of Onitsha and Nnewi respectively.