FG Lures Nigerians To Return Dollars At Home To Banks
The Federal Government has persuaded Nigerians to return all dollars in their possession to the banks, provided the funds aren’t proceeds of crime.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun who disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of the National Economic Council, NEC, presided over by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja said the new government policy allows such individuals to comply with the directive within 9 months without attracting legal liability or financial penalties.
Edun also gave an update on the Excess Crude Account currently standing at $473,754.57, the Natural Resources Fund at ₦26,105,837,627.67, and the Stabilization Account at ₦36,299,452,763.62.
He equally gave update on government economic relief measures, saying 25 million Nigerians have benefitted from federal social protection initiatives, including digital outreach, microenterprise loans, and sector-specific support for power, agriculture, manufacturing, health, and compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives.
“One element of the cost increase is the foreign exchange rate, and that is demand and supply. There is going to be a release today, details by the federal government through the Ministry of Finance, in conjunction with the Central Bank, a programme, starting today, 31st of October, and lasting nine months, that will allow people to bring in cash that is outside the banking system.
“So therefore it is unsafe, it is unsecure and it is outside of legal limits. They will allowed forbearance to bring dollars cash. Let me emphasize once again, it is to bring dollars that they are holding outside the system to be able to bring them in and credit it to their bank accounts, as long as it is not proceeds of crime, illicit money. There will be no penalty, there will be no taxes, there will be no questions.
“They just meet the normal ‘Know Your Customer’ criteria of banks and they have an opportunity to bring in those funds, make them safe, make them secure, and make them available through normal, economic activity.
“The details of that, the guidelines of that, will be released, first of all, the announcement by the Ministry of Finance and the guidelines later will follow very quickly by Central Bank,” he said.
