Obviously bowing to pressure from the public and
particularly the National Assembly, whose leadership met with him of Tuesday on
the issue, President Goodluck Jonathan Thursday in Abuja directed the Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop further action on the proposed currency
restructuring exercise, including the introduction of the N5,000 banknote.
In a statement issued by the CBN Director, Corporate
Communications, Ugochukwu Okoroafor, last night, the banking system regulator
said that in compliance with the CBN Act, 2007, it had proposed and obtained
the approval of the president to embark on the currency restructuring exercise
on December 19, 2011.
It added that in full compliance with the provisions of the
law, further action on the said restructuring exercise has been stopped, until
such a time that the president may direct otherwise.
The central bank stressed that till date, no contract has
been awarded whatsoever by the CBN in connection with the minting and printing
of the new coins and notes.
"Consequently, no currency note or coin has been
printed or minted under the proposed exercise," the CBN said.
In line with its mandate, the CBN said it remained committed
to the pursuit of policies and programmes aimed at the growth and development
of the Nigerian economy.
Speaking on the president's directive last night, his
Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said it was done in
order to give the central bank time to sell the idea to the public.
Abati said: "The introduction is being suspended for
now to enable the CBN to do more enlightenment on the issue.
"Yes, President Jonathan has directed that the
implementation of the new N5,000 note be suspended for now. This is to enable
the apex bank to do more in terms of enabling Nigerians to understand why it
proposed it in the first place. So, for now, the full implementation is on
hold."
Under the exercise, the plan was that the existing
denominations of N50, N100, N200, N500 and N1,000 were to be redesigned with
added security features. Also, a 12-new currency structure which included: 50K,
N1, N2, N5, N10 and N20 in the coin category, while N50, N100, N200, N500,
N1,000 and N5,000 would have been printed as banknotes.
However, since the new currency structure was announced
almost a month ago, it has been widely criticised and condemned by several
sections of the public.
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