The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the deadline for the swap of old naira notes.
The governors also demanded a review of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cashless policy.
The position of the governor is contained in a letter dated February 6, addressed to Buhari, and signed by Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto and chairman of the NGF.
Recall that in December 2022, the CBN directed deposit money banks and other financial institutions to ensure that over-the-counter cash withdrawals by individuals and corporate entities per week do not exceed N100,000 and N500,000, respectively.
However, following protests against the policy by Nigerians, the apex bank increased the maximum weekly limit for cash withdrawals across all channels by individuals and corporate organisations to N500,000 and N5 million respectively.
The CBN said the aim was to boost the cashless policy and reduce the amount of cash outside the banking system.
In the letter to Buhari, the NGF said while the policy is “intended to address the contradictions in our fiscal environment”, poor execution of it would “hurt the economy and have a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable.”
The NGF explained that state-by-state analysis of the policy has shown that it would affect “several intra-state security arrangements which basically depend on cash transactions to ensure effective implementation”.
“Even though the identified constraints are to be found in almost every state in the country, they are particularly evident in states like Borno in the North East and Bayelsa in the south-south where one finds a pitiable number of banks located only in the State capital which would basically render the workability of the new policies impossible for now,” the letter reads.
“The speed of implementation of the policy is a recipe for anarchy in the country and we urge a re-think of the policy. Regarding the reviewed cash withdrawal limit, we have found from synthesizing experiences across the country that the informal sector in the States, particularly in the Northern and Niger Delta States almost wholly depends on cash transactions because of the nature of their trade.
“It is our view, Sir, that an immediate limitation in the use of cash without robust engagement with stakeholders as well as the provision of accessible alternatives will deny such people legitimate sources of livelihood.
“We fear that the cumulative effect of these unintended but very profound and probable consequences of these policies would be a rise in the number of unemployed and unengaged persons who will inevitably resort to crime to make ends meet. This has a dangerous implication for the security of the country and the potential to derail Mr President’s security agenda.”
