<<Print>>

THE BAD handling of the Ghana cedi note in the country has made the cedi unattractive among other currencies in Africa and the world at large. In Ghana you see educated, illiterates, adults and children crumbling the cedi notes as a way of keeping the money safe from getting missing or torn without anyone penalizing them. After careful observations, it has been observed that not even one financial institution has ever taken the pain or time to educate their customers and clients on the proper management of the cedi note, but rather pay huge sums of money to advertise on both electronic and print media in order to win more potential customers. A visit to the Central Market revealed that about 70 percent of Ghanaians have no idea or see the reason to handle the cedi note without soiling it or writing on the notes. Speaking to some of these business men and women they explained that the only idea they have about the cedi is that when the notes get worn out you can take it to the bank for replacement. They said �The note will be changed for you when you take it to the bank moreover the cedi notes are made of paper even when you keep it clean, it will definitely tear.� According to them they have never had any education on how to keep the cedi notes not even on the television or radio. Some of these traders who are the main culprits blamed their colleagues like the food vendors and those who deal with consumable items like cooking oil, fish and charcoal sellers among others. In an interview with drivers and their mates they expressed their grievances on how some Ghanaians have been mishandling the cedi notes in the country. According to them �Some Ghanaians are very dirty that they cannot handle their own money clean so they do not respect the cedi note that come their way and end up soiling it with either oil or crumble it making it difficult to use.� At American House a driver, Fulani Issah, explained that they always have problems with passengers over the cedi note. According to him, passengers use torn or weak cedi notes to pay their fares and when they refuse to take them they raise insults on them that they do not print money so they should accept it as it looks like. He groaned that when they give the same money to the passengers they refuse to accept with the excuse that they should use them for fuel because nobody will accept torn money should they take it home. He said �The way and manner Ghanaians handle our cedi note in the country is very bad. You see a well dressed man or woman paying his or her fare with a dirty and torn note and when you refuse to accept it they raise insults on you and direct you on what to use the money for.� He added that when they send the money to the various fuel stations the attendants react back that they cannot accept it making their business difficult. At Circle, some of the drivers� mates blamed market men and women and the passengers with the reason that they mostly crumble the money because they are in a hurry to receive another one. At close look, the paper observed a charcoal seller who received the money with her hand soiled with charcoal and crumble it before putting it in her pocket. Speaking to her, she explained that customers are always in a hurry to receive their items or balance and so had to handle the cedi till she closes. According to her, when she gets home she straightens them up and takes it back to the bank or use it for her business. In an interview with Professor Peter Quartey, an Economic Expert from Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, he said the way to handle the cedi note is for the banks to partner with the National Commission for Civic Education to educate Ghanaians, especially the market men and women and those in the village with different languages that will enable them understand how to handle the cedi note. He explained that the handling of the cedi note is a big challenge in the country and hardly do you hear banks and financial institutions discuss it. He urged financial institutions to provide bags for their consumers, especially, business people who use the cedi note to work to keep their money at a safer place. He added that Ghanaians should try and keep their money in wallet for proper handling of the notes and also encourage the use of electrical cards in the system. He added that laws should be enforced to penalize people who publicly mishandle the cedi for others to learn from it.