‘I don’t know exact number of new naira notes printed,’ CBN deputy gov, Aishah Ahmad tells House of Reps

The deputy governor, financial systems stability, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Aishah Ahmad, on Thursday, December 22, said that she does not know the quantity of the new naira notes printed and released for circulation by CBN on December 15.

The apex bank, last Thursday, released the redesigned N200, N500, and N1000 notes.

However, since the naira notes went into circulation on December 15, there have been complaints about the insufficient quantities at deposit money banks (DMBs).

The lawmakers, on Wednesday, resolved that a deputy governor of the apex bank should appear to brief the house today in the absence of the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, who is outside the country to attend to health issues.

A lawmaker, Sada Soli, during the course of grilling Ahmad on Thursday, raised concerns over the non-availability of the new notes, and asked her to disclose the quantities of new notes printed.

Ahmad, who represented Emefiele, said that she is not aware of the exact number of the printed redesigned notes.

Her response caused a stir in the chamber as the lawmakers wondered why she would not be aware of the figure, Daily Trust reports.

Ahmad, however, said that she was being careful so as not to give a wrong figure.

She added that 500 million new naira notes have been ordered and would be printed soon