Many people were happy when in 2018; the Central Bank of the Gambia (CBG) introduced new currency notes, which was no doubt seen as a welcome move to replace the badly mutilated notes that were circulating in this country.
However, almost two years since the introduction of the new notes, nothing seems to have changed, instead the commercial banks continue to issue dirty and mutilated notes to their customers. The new notes are hardly visible.
The other day, I received some seriously mutilated notes from the bank and I decided to go to the CBG to change them into clean notes. However, at the CBG, a staff member told me that due to the COVID 19 pandemic, they have now stopped the practice of exchanging old notes for new ones. He however heaped the blame of the continuous circulation of mutilated notes on the commercial banks. He said they have urged the commercial banks to always lodge their old notes with the CBG in exchange for new notes but most of the banks continue to issue the old notes to their customers. He accused some of those working in the commercial banks of being in the habit of keeping the new notes for themselves and their friends whilst continuing to issues mutilated notes to their customers.
Whatever the case, I think the blame still rests squarely on the shoulders of the CBG because it is their responsibility to ensure that all efforts are made to ensure that these mutilated notes are taken out of circulation. They just cannot pass the blame to the commercial banks. It appears that either the CBG has not printed enough new notes to replace the old notes or they are hoarding the new notes for whatever reason and allowing the circulation of mutilated notes. It is even hard to see any connection with their decision to stop the exchange of mutilated notes with new notes and the COVID 19 pandemic. In fact, it is even a health hazard to allow members of the public to continue using those mutilated notes. Therefore, if the CBG were indeed interested in protecting the public against the pandemic, they should have done more to minimize the circulation of these mutilated notes.
D. A. Jawo
