Residents of Akenfa neighborhood, in Yenagoa Native Authorities Space of Bayelsa State, on Friday, took to the streets to protest the continued rejection of the outdated N500 and N1000 notes by merchants within the state.

The protesters, made up of principally ladies, youths and a handful of males, displayed placards with numerous inscriptions together with “Financial institution refuses the outdated money however they’re nonetheless shelling out it, why?” and “Consideration, Consideration, we’re dying, banks give outdated notes however entrepreneurs reject it.”

Recall that the Supreme Court docket had ordered that the outdated N500 and N1000 notes needs to be allowed to be in circulation together with the brand new notes till December 31, 2023.

The aggrieved residents blocked the foremost Mbiama-Yenagoa Street for hours, crippling vehicular motion and industrial actions across the Akenfa axis.

Lamenting their ordeal, one of many residents, Mrs Debora Ebi, mentioned they will’t additional deal with the way the outdated banknotes are rejected within the state, including that the fees from POS are very horrible and excessive.

Expressing frustration over the continued rejection of outdated N500 and N1000 notes, she mentioned her incapability to do any transaction has made her household weak to starvation because the financial coverage got here into being.

A dealer, Madam Tokoni mentioned banks are giving outdated naira notes however refuse to simply accept deposits of the outdated naira observe from clients.

“If I promote and gather outdated notes, how will I transact enterprise when others gained’t obtain? We have now suffered. Our relations are dying of starvation. No meals. Market just isn’t shifting. Why is authorities treating us like this? We heard different states are accepting the outdated naira notes, however the story is completely different in Bayelsa State, why?” she mentioned.

A former Bayelsa State Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) secretary, Comrade Alagoa Morris mentioned the problem is a transparent case of “when two elephants combat, the grass suffers.”

He mentioned: “As a matter of truth, it’s unhappy, unlucky and really unacceptable this struggling that has lowered Nigerian to the extent the place their dignity as human beings have been denied them, together with avoidable deaths. The continued denial of money even after the Supreme Court docket’s ruling speaks volumes that this can be a nation the place the rule of regulation just isn’t practised.”

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