The state governor, Babagana Zulum, had listed challenged he described as insurmountable for the end of the circulation of the old notes.
He was speaking in Maiduguri on Friday when a team of the Central Bank of Nigeria led by its Director of Statistics, Muhammad Tumala, paid him a courtesy call.
He said apart from the non-availability and circulation of the new notes, only three of the 27 Local government areas of the state – Maiduguri Metropolitan, Here and Biu – had functional banks due to insecurity which had rendered majority of the communities in the state inaccessible.
Zulum said the remaining 24 LGAs have been without banks for the past one decade, in addition to the lack of communication service due to destructions of telecommunication facilities and financial institutions by Boko Haram insurgents.
“Borno State Government is really in support of the CBN policy in redesigned new naira notes, as it will have a long run positive effect on Nigerians, but sincerely speaking, all the infrastructures needed to implement this new CBN’s policy are not in existence in many parts or communities of Borno,” Zulum stressed.
“If as governor, I do not possess the new naira notes currently, what of a poor person in the village or on the streets?,” he lamented.
“Just last week, the Borno state government under my leadership has approved the release of the sum of N800 million to cushion the hardship faced by our repentant Boko Haram terrorists,” the governor disclosed, querying, “So how does CBN expect these repentant terrorists who are still under the custody of our security operatives come out to exchange their old naira notes or open an account with commercial banks?”
He continued “Secondly, it is disheartening to inform you that there is no vehicle that had access to Kala- Balge local government area for the past seven months due to the terrain and insecurity.”
Zulum explained, “There are thousands of IDPs in Kala- Balge who are currently faced with hunger. This is because, they only travel about 16kms by canoe to buy food items from neighbouring communities of Cameroun Republic.
“Unfortunately, I was told last week that these traumatized people could no longer buy food items from neighbouring Cameroun communities who are largely rejecting the old naira notes.
“Go to Kukawa local government area, or Baga, Banki and even some parts of peaceful Southern Borno senatorial district, there are still pockets of insurgents.”
The governor added, “I believe as government, we set up a policy to benefit mankind or ease the hardship of the generality of the people, but in this situation, the reverse is the case, especially to Borno and Yobe States which are now coming out from its decades insecurity.”
Earlier in his address, Tumala said he led a team of the apex bank’s workers to Borno to resolve all issues and challenges associated with the usage of the new currency.
He appealed to the state government to provide security to the banks staff and agents to enable them comb all the communities in the state for the success of the exercise.
