Catholic Bishops Urge FG to Increase Circulation of New Naira Notes

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has asked the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to take urgent measures to increase the amount of the newly introduced naira notes in circulation nationwide to ease the current hardship the citizens are going through.

Ahead of the February 25 presidential election, the clergymen enjoined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to exhibit professionalism and avoid being bias in their conduct.
In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting in Abuja, the bishops urged the federal government and its relevant agencies to immediately increase the circulation of new Naira notes.

They lamented that the twin scarcity of petrol and Naira note has imposed added suffering on the masses.
“We, therefore, urge federal government and its relevant agencies to immediately increase the circulation of the new naira notes and make and implement adequate monetary and other relevant policies that will reduce the suffering and hardship experienced by our people.

“We admonish those who collaborate in hoarding the new currency and petroleum products to desist from such a dastardly act.
“We laud the citizens for their bravery in the face of the hard situation while we thank the president for approving the extended use of the old N200 notes. Furthermore, governments need to provides enabling environment for the creation of more jobs by both the government and the private sector,” the bishops said.

Regarding the forthcoming general elections, the bishops urged all eligible citizens to come out en masse to vote for God-fearing, honest, vibrant, and transparent leaders for a better Nigeria.

They also urged the INEC and its officials to ensure that their conducts in the entire electoral process are transparent, honest, and beyond reproach.
“We continue to enjoin the Commission to make sure that the newly adopted technologies for accreditation, transmission, and collation, are transparently and sincerely deployed and not manipulated to give false results.

“We equally call on the law enforcement agents, whose primary duty is to enforce law and order and ensure the protection of persons and materials during the elections, to efficiently and professionally carry out their responsibilities without fear, favour, or partiality.

“In the same manner, we advise our youths not to allow themselves to be used as thugs and agents of disruption and violence before, during, and after the elections. We, at the same time, enjoin voters to ensure that proper counting is done before the transmission of the results.”