· Says: Act fast because the ordinary people are suffocating
By Ignatius Chukwu
The presidency and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have been called upon to use the grace period given to old notes to do mop up at grassroots places such as worship centres and markets.
The CBN was further advised to do mass mop up with limit of N50,000 per person, hoping it will treat the ordinary man.
Details:
The man of God in PH, Rivers State, Pastor Kingsley Nwachukwu, called on the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to move fast and save the masses from what looks like artificial scarcity of new naira notes.
Pastor Nwachukwu, Founder and Chief Worker of Eleutheria Church in PH said the presidency and the CBN have a duty to rescue the ordinary people who he said are trapped in the fight between the CBN and those believed to be hoarding the new naira notes.
Nwachukwu spoke at the Thanksgiving Church Service of the Correspondents Chapel Press Week 2022/2023.
The cleric urged the authorities to use the last two days (now to February 10) to mobilise teams to churches, mosques, and markets to attempt to mop up old notes in return for new ones so the masses don’t roast in this seeming battle between the CBN and commercial banks.
He said the CBN and the FG can also go round the markets and churches to teach people how to access the e-Wallet so people can start transacting without cash.
He observed that those against the naira redesign policy seem to have ganged up with commercial banks to stop the policy by forcing the common man into suffering and mass hysteria that may lead to protests.
He warned that the masses may not survive up to the election let alone voting.
To counter these forces, he urged the CBN to move to spiritual houses and the markets to mop up old notes from the common people and give them new notes. He said the real ordinary people are often at worship places and the markets.
He suggested a limit of about N50,000 per person during the mop up exercise so that ordinary people can have some spending money while adjusting to new payment tools like e-Wallet and new CBN card as well as inter-bank transfers and cheques. He said getting the ordinary people happily on the side of the FG/CBN would be to the utter disappointment of those working to stop the change.
The cleric said churches, mosques and the markets are where to find the true masses that genuinely need small amounts in new naira notes.
He said the CBN can continue to wrestle with the mega naira merchants but should take off the common man from the fight so the naira warehouse owners don’t use the ordinary man as shield to battle the CBN. .
He said he does not know where the commercial banks support in this battle but that the CBN should pull the masses out of the door so the real enemies can stand clear and apart.
Speaking on divine visitation, he appealed to people of Nigeria to endeavour to attract divine visitations.
He reminded Nigerians that there must be something being done by a person, a family, a group or a nation to attract divine intervention.
Nwachukwu advised husbands to learn to negotiate matters with their wives so that their homes can succeed and their marriages can triumph.
Any time God is visiting, he stated, it’s either of four reasons; to fulfill a promise, to bless, to instruct, or for judgment. “You are the one to attract which one to happen to you.”
Saying love conquers every situation, he said when God visits you, respond by living happily with your neighbours. He urged the congregation to be sensitive so they can understand the move of the spirit.
He called on wives to submit to their husbands while husbands should respond by loving their wives.
A major way of responding to divine visitation is a life of thanksgiving, he said.
He stated that the Correspondents in Port Harcourt seem to have learnt how to respond to divine visitations and favours by always going to a carefully selected church each year to thank God.
In his remarks, the chairman of the Correspondents Chapel, Amaechi Okonkwo, appealed to Eleutheria Church leaders and members to put the journalists in the hands of God during the coverage of elections in such a volatile state.
He also prayed for the recovery of their bus that was stolen by armed men in March 2022.