THE Jigawa State Government has raised concerns over the scarcity of new naira notes, saying residents of the state are sleeping at Automated Teller Machines stands.
The state’s Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development, Babangida Gantsa, said during his visits to several commercial banks in the state on Wednesday, no fewer than 250 customers queued at ATM stands for cash withdrawals.
Gantsa explained that the unavailability of naira notes in circulation had paralysed economic activities and other social lives in Jigawa.
“You can see by yourself, people spending nights at ATMs queuing to withdraw cash from the commercial banks.
“Worried by the situation, he (Mr Governor) asked me to go round the commercial banks in the capital city where the bank managers confirmed to me that the Central Bank of Nigeria refusing them enough cash to load at the ATM for people to withdraw.
“There is one ATM point where I counted 215 people waiting to withdraw cash. In other banks, ATM there is more than 250 in one ATM point. They said many of them spend nights there.
“The problems had already crippled the Point of Sales businesses in the State as a result of lack of new naira note.”
