(OUR EDITORIAL STAND)
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The decision taken by the Governor of Zamfara to drag the Federal government to court over frustrating conditions caused by the recent policy on naira redesign is absolutely the highest expectation of typical citizens of Zamfara state.
Every serious leader who means well for his people will surely challenge policies that are meant to add into the existing socio-economic frustrations faced by his people.
The suit filed by Governor Matawalle and two others, namely Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna and Yahaya Bello of Kogi is both apt and timely considering the level of hardship people of Zamfara are encountering since the commencement of the implementation of the new policy.
The fact of the matter with the new CBN policy is that, it was introduced with many lapses, and it was a clear demonstration that CBN was abruptly unprepared and by extension it has not taken into recognition the measures to be applied in managing the repercussions that may follow the policy.
The criticisms that trailed the new policy is enough for the CBN and indeed the Federal Government to have a rethink, but it seems Emiefele and his key drivers are doomed in understanding the reality of things in the country.
THE FACT AND PECULIARITIES ABOUT ZAMFARA AT THE WAKE OF THE NEW CBN POLICY
Currently, statistics has shown that, there are about eight local governments in Zamfara that are without a single branch of a commercial bank: they are Tsafe, Maradun, Birnin Magaji, Zurmi, Shinkafi, Maru, Bukkuyum, Bakura and Gummi.
These eight local governments have an estimate of population of about 3.2 million people going by the 2020 census figure which puts Zamfara population at 5.6 Million people.
Except Gusau the capital city of Zamfara where all the banks except TAJ and Providus Banks have the single branches and partly Talatar Mafara where there are four branches, the remaining four local governments have one single bank each.
Majority of the typical Zamfara populations are rural agriculturalists with large number of them purely into farming and livestock and with this abrupt CBN policy on cash redesign their suffering will rise to the hardest level.
This is couple with the social crises emanating from the activities of the armed bandits that had already crippled the rural economy of the populace and rendered many average wealthy people in the rural community into permanent poverty.
Currently, the hardship caused by the new CBN policy on naira redesign has reached the peak level that small businesses such as Okada riding, Keke Napep operation, tailoring, and local food vendors have shut down their businesses due to non-availability of cash in the hand of the people.
The commercial banks are adding into the frustrations of the people; hence people hopelessly spent hours on queue without getting their hard-earned cash deposited in the various banks.
The level at which bankers in collaboration with some agents are diverting cash for percentage is also another source of worry; hence customers waited hopelessly without getting cash to settle their immediate family problems.
This development has triggered the anger of the people as they looked inward for the State Governor and other serious stakeholders to continue to raise their voice against the decisions of the CBN and that would be a big step in the right direction.
In our opinion, the Governor of Zamfara in collaboration with the two other Governors should stand their ground to challenge the CBN policy on naira redesign until when the solutions are provided for the suffering of the people of Zamfara.
Matawalle have the backing and support of well-meaning Zamfara people because we believed government need to do what is right for its citizens.
Democratic government is for the people, and it shall be driven by the people, and anything short of this will amount of tyranny.
