Market women protest rejection of old N500, N1000 notes

Photo of protesters

Ebiowei Lawal – Yenagoa

The Melford Okilo road was today blocked for several hours as market women in the popular Akenfa in Yenagoa Local Government Area, protested over the failure of the federal government to obey the decision of the Supreme Court which ruled that the old naira notes should remain legal tender till 31st December 2023.

According to the market women who commenced the protest at noon today, banks are giving old naira notes but have refused to accept the old naira note from customers.

Lamenting their ordeal, one of the market women, Mrs. Debora Ebi, said that they can’t further cope with the manner in which the old currencies are being rejected in the state, adding that the charges from POS are terribly high.

She expressed frustration over the continued rejection of the old N500 and N1000 notes, adding that she can’t do any transactions, and that has made her family stay in hunger.

A trader, Madam Tokoni said banks are giving old naira notes but refuse to accept them when they want to deposit them.

She said; “If I sell and collect old notes, how will I transact business when others won’t receive them, we have suffered, our family members are dying of hunger, no food, and the market is not moving, why is the government treating us like this?

“we heard other state are accepting the old naira note but the story is different in Bayelsa state, why?”

According to a former secretary of Bayelsa State Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Comrade Alagoa Morris, the issue is a clear case of “When the elephants fights, the grasses suffer”. The masses are the main victims, not the elite.

He stated that “As a matter of fact it is sad, unfortunate and very unacceptable this suffering that has reduced Nigerian to the level where their dignity as human beings have been denied them; including avoidable deaths. The continued denial of cash even after the Supreme Court’s ruling speaks volume; that this is a country where the rule of Law is not practiced.”

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