Gupah, Maiduguri
Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has said that the Central of Nigeria (CBN) cashless policy, has infringed on human rights and the 1999 Constitution of the country.
According to him, the Federal Government does not have the infrastructural facilities to implement the cashless policy of CBN in the 774 Local Councils.
Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Army raised the alarm, yesterday (Saturday) in an interview with journalists at the Government Reservation Area (GRA) residence in Maiduguri.
He lamented the printing of only N300 billion of the redesigned N200, N500 and N1, 000 notes, as against the N2.03 trillion mopped up notes or 75 percent of N2.7 trillion held by the people.
“The situation on ground in various states, including the Northeast regIon affected by Boko Haram insurgency has worsened,” he said.
Ndume added that soldiers on the frontlines of Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad region cannot get cash from the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) to buy food from their daily N5, 000 allowances.
“The cashless policy of the apex bank, is seriously affecting military operations in the Northeast,” he said, adding that a soldier was about to be lynched, as he beat the queues at the ATM booth to withdraw cash.
He noted that the people are the most hit, as they could not access their deposited money with commercials banks buy their basic needs of life.
“As our people cannot meet their daily basic needs, because of the cashless policy, it has infringed on their fundamental human rights,” he declared.
According to him, the CBN policy is, however, in conflict with the 1999 Constitution, as the country does not have the infrastructure to implement the cashless policy.
Already, he noted that the inability of the people to access their money in banks will continue to affect their welfare, including the basic needs of life.
He therefore called on the CBN to provide the military and other security agencies with emergency cash on the forest and lake frontlines in the Northeast.
End.
