BOG urges public to be vigilant

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) on Thursday said it was impossible for fraudsters to reproduce any of the security features on the new cedi notes, and asked the public to be extra vigilant when handling the notes.

Briefing the media in Accra in response to the current case of fake cedi notes being used to pay of cocoa farmers in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region, Mr Kassim Yahya, Head of Public Affairs, BOG, said it was important not to hype the matter to create credibility problems for the currency.

He said the security features were so entrenched and sophisticated that it was impossible for anyone to replicate them.

"Indeed, attempts would be made to fake them, but it is also important to note that what would be made cannot be like the original and all that is needed is a little vigilance," he said.

"Even attempts are made to fake the dollar which is considered to be rather difficult to fake."

Mr Yahya said the new 10,000-cedis and 20,000-cedi notes had very tight security features that could not be faked under any circumstance.

He said the Bank in connection with the Information Services Department and other collaborators would soon embark on an education programme to educate the public, especially those in the rural areas, and school children on the currency notes.

Mr Yahya said there was a four-week educational campaign before the introduction of the new notes.

"What we have decided to do now is that we would engage in a sustained educational tour of the country and ensure that people from time-to- time are fully exposed to the nature and design of the currencies we use."

Mr Edward Ofei-Bekoe, Head of Issue, said it was important for Ghanaians to take time off to study the currency notes before using them anytime it was given to them.

He debunked claims that the quality of paper used in printing the cedi was inferior, saying that there was a specific scientific composition that was required to make the paper and this was done for all currency notes.

Mr Ofei-Bekoe urged the public not to use only one defective feature on the cedi note and dismiss it as fake.