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GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has maintained that the naira currency redesign by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is politically motivated and that the stakeholders promoting it are insincere.
Wike, said this while receiving a letter of nomination on the award of ‘Independent Man of the Year 2022’ conferred on him by the Independent Newspapers in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, on Tuesday.
He said the shoddy implementation of the naira swap by CBN has worsened the living conditions of the poor in Nigeria.
He said, “We are in a difficult situation now. It doesn’t matter what anybody may say. Nigerians are suffering now and as a people we owe that responsibility to cushion the hardship Nigerians are facing and not worsen the situation.
“Nobody says, and let it be on record that there is nothing wrong with redesigning our naira. What we are saying is the implementation will not help, rather it will aggravate the condition that people face, particularly the poor people.”
He said those who insist the naira swap policy will curb corruption and eliminate vote buying during the general election are not sincere, stressing, “The whole thing is being political, and that is not what it is supposed to be.”
“You have also not made the new one available and then you have said we can’t collect the old one again. Now, you that even have money in the bank, you’re not allowed to even collect your money.”
The governor observed that those advocating that Nigerians should embrace internet banking have failed to take into cognisance the fact that vast majority of the citizens, particularly in the rural areas don’t have bank accounts.
Managing Director of the Independent Newspapers, Steve Omanufeme, told Wike, “Everybody can see and know what you have done in Rivers. But beyond that, we are giving this award because of your action which people misunderstood, especially your contribution to good governance, your dogged fight for justice, equity and fairness.
“This award is to put it in history that you were there, you came and you conquered, and even tried to make us, we the spectators, believe in you. We pray we carry it on and tell Nigerians that the oppressed must be released from the shackles.”
