Banker advises against unscrupulous persons

The Manager of the Agricultural Development Bank at Nkoranza, Mr Gibrilla Osmanu, has cautioned the general public, especially the rural communities, to be wary of unscrupulous persons who would approach them as bank officials to change their old currencies to new ones after the December 31 deadline.

He said such persons are crooks, out to defraud them, by convincing the unsuspecting victim that they have been assigned by the banks to change their old Ghana cedis to the new currency.

Mr Osmanu said officials of the bank had been educating traders and customers on the need to send their old currencies to the banks, to either change or to make a deposit.

He advised people keeping huge sums of the old currency to change them at the banks since it would no longer be legal tender after December 31.

"They would also become useless whenever the Bank of Ghana comes out with a directive ceasing the collection of such monies by the banks", he stated.

The ADB manager urged Assembly members, Unit Committee members, traditional authorities, religious leaders and teachers to help educate the people about changing the old currency themselves and avoid the fraudsters.

The bank manager advised businessmen and women as well as heads of department and churches to adhere to the directives and co-operate with the banks towards the success of the re-denomination exercise.

Mr Osmanu also advised drivers and transport owners to change their old notes for the new currency to avoid unnecessary confrontations with passengers.