The Federal Government has issued a nine-month ultimatum to individuals that are keeping dollars outside the banking system.
The minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun 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.
According to him, “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.
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.
That is an opportunity, not just for people who would normally like to comply, to be compliant with the laws and normal business practice, but of course, it gives us an opportunity to bring those dollars from where they are doing nothing to where they are within the financial system, they add to our reserves, and of course can help with the exchange rate”.
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