Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
There have been anger and frustration expressed by Residents in Benin City, Edo State, over the sudden rejection of the old naira notes by filing station owners and some other business centres in the state.
At a popular filing station at Aduwawa axis, Truth Live News gathered that a particular filling station (name withheld) has refused to collect the old naira notes after dispensing the product to its customers thereby leading to a heated argument at the filling station.
Narrating her ordeal, a woman who simply identified herself as Mrs. Etoka said she bought fuel of N1,170 and gave the fuel attendant N2000, one new note and the other, old, with the hope of getting her change but to her greatest surprise, the fuel attendant rejected the old naira note from her.
“I just came in here to fill my keg, they said it is N230 per litre. I filled it.
“I gave them N1000 new naira note, they said it is N1,170 for the filling.
“So, I said I don’t have N170 but I have another N1000 old naira note which I gave to them but to my greatest surprised, they were refusing it and they were disposing old naira notes, why can’t they accept the old naira notes? This I can’t take, it is uncalled for.
‘I want the government to look into it. They should come and rectify it.
” It is just embarrassing thing to me and I don’t like it.
“This is injustice because the masses are suffering. We are angry”, Etoka said.
Also expressing her anger, was Mrs. Adesuwa Amadasun.
She said the old and new naira notes should be allowed to go side-by-side since the new notes are yet to be circulated.
“I don’t know what is happening in our country.
“We came to buy fuel and we are surprised that they are rejecting the old naira notes except the new naira notes.
” And they are still giving out the old naira notes to people but they are not collecting it from us.
“What can we do? And you know there is no money in circulation and we have to make use of the old naira notes and the new naira notes side-by-side.
“I want the government to come and do something about it”, Amadasun said.
On the part of the fuel attendant who pleaded anonymity, she said their manager left them with a very serious warning not to receive any old naira notes from any customers but the new naira notes.