By KEMI KASUMU
The Mallam Nasir El-Rufai-led Government of Kaduna State has directed its agencies to accept old Naira notes along with the new notes.
This was contained in a statement issued by Muyiwa Adekeye, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication, dated Sunday 19th February 2023 and copy of which was sighted by The DEFENDER.
El-Rufai said he was giving the directive based on the Supreme Court interim order stopping the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from ending the legality of the old Naira note on the February 10, 2023 deadline.
“In line with the subsisting order of the Supreme Court, the Kaduna State Government has directed its ministries, departments and agencies to ensure that their collection agents continue to accept payments made in all denominations of the naira, old and new.
“The laws of Kaduna State do not allow personnel of government agencies to be involved in cash collection of revenues.
“The collection agents authorised by state government agencies do offer citizens a route for cash payment, and are expected to comply with the subsisting court order,” the statement said.
Although the governor’s statement underscored that personnel of government agencies in the state are not allowed by the state law to be involved with cash payment thus expecting them to comply with the law, he expected them to comply with the subsisting court order.
It will be recalled that in a report on Saturday, The DEFENDER published Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and All Progressives Congress (APC)’s stalwart, Dr. Muiz Banire, while revealing that the governors fighting for continued old Naira notes are doing so to enable them vote buying, cautioned them to know that they lack the powers to declare what money is legal tender.
