Kaduna State Government has directed all its ministries, agencies, and departments to continue accepting payments in all denominations of the new and old naira notes.
This was as the state government also warned against breakdown of law and order, reiterating that any form of protest is prohibited.
A statement on Saturday, February 18, 2023, by the Special Adviser to Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, said the directive was in compliance with a subsisting Supreme Court order, which allows continuous use of all the old naira notes.
The statement reads: “In line with the subsisting order of the Supreme Court, the Kaduna State Government has directed its ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure that their collection agents continue to accept payments made in all denominations of the naira, old and new.
“The laws of Kaduna State does not allow personnel of government agencies to be involved in cash collection of revenues. The collection agents authorised by state government agencies do offer citizens a route for cash payment, and are expected to comply with the subsisting court order.”
Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan said the Kaduna State Government received credible intelligence reports of plans by various groups to deliberately disrupt public peace by organising street protests.
He reminded citizens that such protests remain strictly prohibited.
Aruwan said the government continues to empathise with citizens subjected to untold distress as a result of the CBN cash swap policy.
He said: “The Government of Kaduna State, and other concerned state governments, are deploying the full instrumentality of the law to attain a proper resolution, and thus bring relief to citizens.
“Government is also studying options for addressing challenges being faced by citizens with regard to transport to their places of work.
“Any resort to unruly or violent conduct is illegal and against the public interest which values law and order.
“Security agencies have been placed on high alert and have been directed by the Government to decisively uphold law and order.
“Citizens are therefore urged to maintain calm, and to remain peaceful and law-abiding as they prepare to exercise their civic franchise in an atmosphere free of all forms of threat.”
Use 2023 Election To Punish Divisive Politicians – Nasir El-Rufai
Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, says the 2023 elections present Nigerians with the opportunity to take religion out of politics and punish politicians who use it as a tool.
The governor on Tuesday, December 27, 2022, asked royal fathers and scholars to pray for credible elections and improved security.
He spoke at the commissioning ceremony of the head office of the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development,
“I want to use the opportunity to call on our leaders here, the royal fathers, our scholars to continue to pray for peaceful and credible elections, continue to pray for improved security in our country, and for Allah to choose for this country who is the best leaders that will unite and move the country forward.
“I am concerned as a citizen, as a governor, and as a Muslim about the way and manner some of the politicians have gone about campaigning using religion and ethnic division as a tool. And your Eminence I think this election causes for us a very unique opportunity to take religion out of politics in Nigeria and punish those that are trying to use religion as a tool,” he said.
The APC chieftain and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory also appealed to the royal fathers and scholars to communicate to the people in order to ensure that future elections do not centre around religion but around what a person can do to improve a lot of ordinary people.
“Our people are united in their poverty, in their need for education, for a decent healthcare and to put food on their table, that is what unites us, that is what we should focus on. But some people are campaigning in churches, some are holding internal meetings with religious leaders to promote ethnic and religious division, it is the last thing Nigeria needs now at a time when the whole world is facing challenges ultra-nationalism and global supply chain disruption,” El-Rufai added.
Source: The Nation
