Anastasia Okechukwu Reporting
The Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji has said the government would arrest and prosecute business owners and service providers rejecting the old notes.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Olubode and made available to newsmen on Saturday in Ado-Ekiti, Oyebanji appealed to business owners in the state to stop creating hardship for it citizens.
He said the Supreme Court had by its March 3 ruling, extended the validity date for the old naira notes in a case instituted by some states, including Ekiti.
Oyebanji said that the refusal of many business owners in the state to accept the old naira notes as means of the transaction was unlawful.
“As honourable people, what is expected of us is to abide by the ruling of the apex court and continue to accept the old naira notes as means of transactions and not to inflict further hardship on one another by rejecting it.
“Government will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute business owners found rejecting the old naira notes,” the statement quoted Oyebanji as saying.
The governor continued by appealing to market women and men, artisans, transporters, filling stations, supermarket owners and school proprietors as well as service providers to remain law abiding and accept the old naira notes.
He also urged the commercial banks and Central Bank of Nigeria,(CBN) to make the old and new currencies available in their branches and at their Automated Teller Machines (ATM) points in order to ease the stress residents go through to get money for their daily and commercial needs.