Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has said troops on the front lines fighting Boko Haram and other security challenges in the country are mostly affected by the cashless policy and new naira redesign.
At a press briefing in Maiduguri on Saturday, Senator Ndume stated that efforts to get the new naira notes by the troops on the front lines is a big distraction to most of the military operations in the country.
He noted that troops who live far from where banking services are not available were experiencing hardship dumping the old notes and obtaining the new ones as there are lots of long queues in the banking hall as well as ATM booths across the country.
According to him, unavailability of the new naira notes has created lots of inconveniences for the troops in the front lines, as they are not able to cope since there are no banks in most local government areas that are experiencing security challenges in the country.
“I want to join other concerned Nigerians for voicing out their anger on the current shortages of the newly redesigned naira notes which jas crippled economic activities all over the country.
“I want to tell Federal Government, and particularly the CBN that the situation on ground is not only affecting the masses, but most importantly is affecting the military operations, other security agencies who are fighting against terrorism and other criminal activities in the country.
“This is because, what I discovered during my recent visit to my constituency, is that, many soldiers who were deployed to various remote areas, are finding it very difficult to survive, as they don’t have money to buy food and other non-food items.
“If as senator, I am yet to get access to the new currency, what of troops who are on the frontline defending our nation from terrorists. I am aware that even some troops who have secured a PASS who do come to nearby commercial banks to withdraw, but most of them end up being disappointed as the new naira notes remained inaccessible on the counter or from ATMs.
“It is very unfortunate that the hardship posed on Nigerians by this CBN policy, have nearly caused the life of a soldier when some mobs attempted to kill him during a fracas at one of the ATM queues,” he said.