By Praise Chinecherem
Traders in popular main market, Onitsha, Anambra State have raised the alarm over prevailing cases of fake money transfers in the market.
They said no fewer than eight cases were recorded in the market daily basis since the naira redesign crisis erupted.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, Caretaker committee chairman, Chief Innocent Ezeoha decried untold hardship the cashless policy the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had subjected residents to, particularly traders in the state.
He said, “The CBN introduced cashless policy for better economy but eventually failed Nigerians by putting them into hardship to the extent that it is not easy for them to have access to the new notes.
“As most Nigerians are yet to have the new naira notes in exchange for old ones, fake money transfers have rocked the market with no fewer than eight cases daily being performed in the market.
“Some don’t even see the transfers being made to them. Few of such victims who are courageous enough are reporting their cases here in the secretariat.
“Others go to the police while some approach vigilante groups to lodge their complaints to see if they will recover their money.
“In a day we record about three to four cases officially because you have scores that don’t report their cases here, so on the whole about eight cases come up daily but officially four are recorded in our secretariat.”
Ezeoha recalled how traders hurriedly rushed to the banks and paid all their old naira notes following assurances by a CBN team during flagg off of new redesigned naira notes in the market, that on old naira notes would seize to exist on January, 31, 2023.
He further lamented that sequel to the ugly development, some traders hardly opened their shops for business as nobody patronized them, just as money transfers turned mirage.
“So many people are finding it difficult to survive these days; something very urgent should be done to curtail the sufferings of Nigerians.
“Even the Point of Sales (POS), cannot give the new naira notes, thereby paralysing businesses. Nothing is moving, everybody is cashless, the petty traders don’t have account numbers.
“See long queues are everywhere, POS and Bank ATM. I’m pleading with CBN to release the new naira notes to us, traders for use because there will be more hardships if this situation continues,” he warned.
