The Bankers Committee of the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) have resolved to introduce mobile courts to arrest and
try naira abusers, currency hawkers and others. This was made known on
Thursday, October 4th, 2018 at the Bankers Committee meeting held in
Lagos.
This plan was disclosed by Ms. Hamda Ambah, The CEO
pf FSDH Merchant Bank Limited during a press briefing at the end of the Bankers
Committee meeting.
She explained that the intent of the initiative
is to encourage a positive change in attitude as regards handling the naira.
Ambah said, “We are going to be disseminating
information on the right way to handle the naira so that people do not handle
the money incorrectly.
“And specifically, one of the things we are frowning
on and action is to be taken on people who sell the currency.
“In the near future, there is going to be an
introduction of mobile court to handle such situation and those caught would be
dealt with on the spot.”
Providing more insights on issues surrounding
handling of the Naira, Isaac Okorafor, CBN’s Director of Corporate Communications,
said the apex bank is empowered by its 2007 Act to punish cases of naira abuse
with a fine of N50,000, a six-month jail term or both.
“We are collaborating with every agency of
government, the Ministry of Justice, judiciary and the Nigeria Police and we
would insist that those who abuse the naira would be punished,” the bank’s
spokesman said.
“So it is not only hawking, if at a party,
someone dances upon the naira or sprays it, that person may instantly go to
jail from that party reception. Nigerians should bear that in mind. We are
serious about it.”
On his part, the Director, Banking Supervision,
CBN, Mr. Ahmad Abdullahi, disclosed that the Bankers’ Committee noted the
challenges the economy is facing “are challenges that are not peculiar to only
Nigeria but to all emerging economies.”
“However, we recognise that all hands should be
on the deck for us to work together to ensure that the slowdown in economic
growth is reversed so we don’t get into the same territory with south Africa,”
the CBN Director said.
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