Kano State Government, through the Consumer Protection Council, has shut a popular supermarket, Wellcare, over refusal to accept old Naira notes.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, February 12, the acting chairman of the council, Baffa Babba Danagundi, said the supermarket was shut shortly after Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje gave the order.
According to Danagundi, legal action will be taken against the supermarket.
He said the order of the closure follows the refusal of WellCare Supermarket to accept the old naira notes from customers as against the instruction of the state government.
He warned other marketers in Kano to be aware that the state government has not banned the use of old Naira notes, therefore, any shop caught not receiving the old notes will be dealt with decisively.
Shortly after the closure, Wellcare Alliance Limited wrote a letter of apology to the government, seeking an immediate intervention to re-open the supermarket.
“Due to the federal government policy on the New Naira Notes, we gave wrong instructions to our staff that from the 10th day of February, 2023, only the new approved Naira Notes are to be in circulation,” the letter reads.
“On an expansive investigation with our bankers, they declined to receive old Naira Notes on our behalf, unknown to all parties that the state has a policy that the old notes are to be in circulation,”
“On this basis, we sincerely apologise for our actions and deeply regret any inconvenience this may have caused the state.
” We humbly plead that our business should be re-opened for deserving members of the public as we undertake to receive old notes as valid tender to when the state issues and otherwise directive. Please do accept our regards and sincere apologies.”
The Kano State Government had last Thursday February 9, filed a suit against the federal government over the naira redesign.
