Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has warned that he will revoke the operational licenses of major businesses in the state including commercial banks if they refuse to accept the old Naira notes as a means of transaction.
The governor gave the warning in a statement issued by the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Mallam Muhammad Garba, said the old naira notes still remained a legal tender.
This comes after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) flouted the Supreme Court restraining the apex bank and the FG from going ahead with the February 10, where the old naira notes – N200, N500, N1000 banknotes cease to be legal tender.
According to the statement issued by the state government, the Supreme Court was emphatic on its interim injunction on the issue of old naira notes which would continue to be used as legal tender hand-in-hand with the new ones untill gradual and final phase out.
Ganduje said, “It has come to the notice of the government that some business owners such as supermarkets, malls, banks, restaurants, hotels, traders in markets, filling stations, motor parks, among others, are in the habit of rejecting the old naira notes in business transaction.
“This non-acceptance by some selfish individuals is further worsening the already tensed situation exacerbated by the non-availability of the new naira notes.
“Business and economic activities are seriously affected by the Naira redesign and unfortunately some self-centered individuals are cashing on the situation to cause further hardships on the people by not accepting the old naira notes during transactions.
“The people have suffered enough untold hardship and therefore the state government will not fold its arms and allow few selfish elements in our midst to worsen the situation.”
According to Punch, the governor called on the people in the state to continue with their lawful businesses and report anyone who refuses to accept the old naira notes to the appropriate quarters.
