From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State government has appealed for calm following protest by residents of Yenagoa over the rejection of the old N1000 and N500 notes.
The protest staged by angry residents in Yenagoa, the state capital had disrupted economic activities on Friday.
A statement signed by the Commissioner For Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mr Ayibaina Duba entitled, ‘ Old Naira Notes: Bayelsa Govt Calls For Calm’ cautioned residents of the state not to engage in acts that would breach the peace of the state.
Duba who noted that the state government understand the pains of the people urged banks, traders and transporters to take the Supreme Court ruling into consideration.
The statement reads, “Bayelsa State government has said it understands the pains of residents of the state following the implementation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) naira redesign policy and the Supreme Court ruling on the old N200, N500 and N1000 currency notes.
“The government thus urges residents to be calm and not engage in acts that could jeopardize the peace of the state.
“The government notes that on March 3, the Supreme Court ruled that the old notes, which had been phased out by the CBN, remain legal tender till December 31 this year.
“While the state government is not against the naira redesign policy of the CBN or the federal government, it is however not comfortable with the method of its implementation that has resulted in further hardship on people of the state and, indeed, the country.
“The government, therefore, urges business operators in the state, particularly banks, traders and keke (tricycle) to take into consideration the Supreme Court ruling in order to reduce the pains of people of the state.
“The government also calls on the CBN to take immediate steps to ease the burden of doing business in the state by making implementation of the policy less cumbersome.