 As Nigeria inches closer to the deadline for the use of the old design Naira, stakeholders are asking the Central Bank of Nigeria to consider the peculiarities of financially underserved locations in the country. Today on breakfast we'll look at the impact of the new Naira notes on the marginalized communities and individuals in the country. Also on the breakfast as presidential candidates participate in the 25th February election recently signed peace pact accord the second of such signing necessitated by bridges to the first peace accord signed in September 2022. Are the candidates ready to keep to the agreement and ensure issue-based and valence-free campaigns? We'll look at this in our second conversation. And enough of the press to bring you in the analysis of some of today's major new separate headlines all this ahead on the breakfast. And we're back with a breakfast major conversation on your screens right here on Plus TV Africa. It's a brand new week. Your first time I'm laying eyes on Mercy. It's good to see you. It's amazing. Happy new year Mercy. You look great. Yeah we've been here doing the work while you've been away. Oh no. But I've been back for a very long time now. I mean I'm very old here. Anyways it's good to have you back over here. Yes indeed. It's great to be back. We will start a program this morning of course we'll look at what's been trending. Some stories trending on social space like we always say. We bring that on television. Once again my name is Kofi Bartels. And I am Messi Boporska to have you join us. Good morning. All right Mercy. This is quite interesting. Do you remember where you were when we had the last national publication census? 2006. Yeah 2006. Where was I? I'll tell you where I was. No I think I was in Abuja. I'm not sure. Maybe I was in Abuja or Kalaba. So I mean I'm yet to be sure where I was. I think you were in Kalaba at that time. You can't be sure. But in 2006 the national publishing census held. I happened to be a part of OVT in a way as an ad hoc staff. Oh really? Yes indeed. That means you were part of those who were taking no. I was in Aqaba U. No I probably would mean that you were part of those in class who were always taking down the names of noise because. Well we had some sort of training. Okay. You know we had some sort of training before the enumeration. You know before the census starts you go around and do some you know enumeration. There's just some training. You know so I was I was supposed to post it to Aqaba U. I was hustling. Hustling for money. How much have you paid? And that was when I you know for those who know Kalaba very well. That's when I discovered that Aqaba U is a local government area across the state by the way that you have two roads to get to Aqaba U. You can go through it's a place in Kalaba called the MCC Road. You guys sorry let's have this conversation. You know to get to to the so you don't need to go through the other Antarctica or whatever they call it the other side. You know so it was quite interesting. It opened my eyes to see different parts of of Nigeria and that was the first time I sat on a motorcycle you know what we call Okada in Lagos and in in in cross-west state where we're growing up they used to call it the Aqaoket. That's not it. Oh they used to call it Alalok. Alalok is more like an unknown conversation. Alalok. You know so so but in Okada is not what we call it. So that was the first time because I mean I screw it up in Nigeria I mean I had the opportunity let me call it that to be on motorcycle as a kid. So that was your first time. Don't know but the first time I sat on a bike with five people. Mercy believe me you mean if you've never seen five people fit on a motorcycle in Kalaba it happened to me. It was when we had to go to the interior part of Aqaba U to count people and but that 2006 publishing census it gave me an eye open as to the the difficulties that even government faces because at the end of the day those of us who had you know able to be were lucky to be chosen for that side hustle called these days of you know being Aqaok staff to help go around and count and the locals insisted that they must be the one to count. So they came and then before we said Jack we were and what do you call it swept aside and you know they thought we should go home the one we get paid and locals are the ones who we didn't hear from the NPC again locals are the ones who did the counting you know they were agitating seriously they wanted to end there they sent some of their counselors and stuff to come and you know lobby they wanted to be the ones to count. So you realize that and the reasons why locals around Nigeria would want to be the ones to count themselves is like you're writing the exam and scoring yourself is because maybe they want to inflate the figures maybe they're afraid that they may not be counted well you know so this is all the issues but the trending one right now is that the national population and housing census for Nigeria in 2023 which is the first since 2006 has been too long I will hold from March 29 to April 1 2023 and people have been talking about this you know excuse me some people you know Nigerians naturally human beings themselves generally all over the world are pessimistic you know of government so the reactions coming up you know I've seen on Twitter some are saying that they want to eat money you know blah blah blah blah and all of that some are saying it's ridiculous and all those kind of things but it's a very important thing that Nigerians have to buy but so that is what's trending one of the stories that the 2023 national population and housing census will hold from March 29 to April 1 2023 the chairman of the national population census these days is Nasir Isakwara he spoke to state house correspondents after meeting with president Muhammad Kuhari Asarog Filay and Abuja so that's that mercy yes and and just like you have you know rightly stated it's commendable that's what I would say that we're having the census I mean we're going to have a census 17 years after because it was done you know the last time we had it was in 2006 and 180 million was where you know the population was pegged at and we know part of this time that a lot of consents have been raised just like Kofi had mentioned right there but you know the truth is I think that it's important that we pay attention to you know the importance of census in our country because that cannot be overemphasized but the only challenge we probably might have is if you have sensors that's conducted and we're very honest and sincere in the entire process where some of the things that you mentioned I mean just imagine what happened in 2006 and here we are 17 almost almost two decades you can imagine what's going to happen I'm not the prophet of doom but I'm just saying that you're pessimistic you feel that maybe all these you know regional sentiments may creep into into the active you know you know you know that you know we're still evolving and that's how we describe our democracy it's almost the same thing with our elections we're developing we're trying to get there we're not there yet and you know Nigerians have expressed concern about the sensors I'd like to see the sensors here of course that's what we're talking about from the fact that even from independence and what have you before independence and after independence I feel like the figure has there's been a lot of manipulation and miscalculation political interference but you can't take out you know the fact that it's important to have the sensors but several questions have been raised as to these particular sensors why are we having the sensors at this point it feels like it's a harsh harsh we're you know russian it like we're you know we're just trying to meet up with time and for countries as we have overly dependent been dependent on statistics from the united nation you know to say okay estimated we're looking at a population of 211 million well almost 300 million persons in Nigeria but how far have we been planning because you know we're relying on estimates yes I don't really know how much yeah we don't know how we are and that's what I'm saying that it's important but I we only wish and understand the plea of the people and the concerns because it's important to know the number of persons that you have in a certain geographical location and that's very important for every country because it helps you also determine excuse me you know the kind of policies you know the number of people that you have children the unemployed so you begin to make your policies that's how you you know your formulate policies to cater for the needs of the people but over time that hasn't been the case I think once upon a time Taffa Bale were you know in the 60s it was once some sensors that was cancelled you know because of the manipulation so Nigerians have not you know expressed different feelings from what we have so would you put this this I don't know like you said manipulation lack of truthfulness in counting ourselves okay one two three four five six just to count and we can't agree on it would you put it down to governments in sincerity would you put down to the people like we you and I not you and I but the people outside government has been part of the problem no so it's a combination so it's a combination of the people and the government that's what I always say I mean the disaster that we're faced with right now is not dependent on you know one strata like I always say a corrupt society would produce a corrupt you know what would always have a corrupt leaders so what we are the kind of leaders that we have today is a reflection of who we are and so if we have you know system influencing the system that's who we are it's just the combination of efforts that's putting us where we are so I mean we need to get to a point where we say we can do better just a very quick one on that before I think that we also we can't we can't dive us you know talking about how bad government is really from talking about our values as society that's all that's something because at the end of the day society will accept what it accepts us and it permits and will not accept what it doesn't permit and you know the people who will go and say oh no no you must count goats it was count sheep who count cows who count the chickens okay because that's what my dad used to say to me you know and are from society are from society are we going to count chickens this time around are we going to count goats and cows I'm not saying that's what happened you know because it may love fake news slide around but if if we don't get genuine figures if we don't get genuine figures I mean legal state challenged the last census figure you know tinnable was a well tinnable governor that I think he was yeah they challenge your figures because they said how can cano state be more populous and then if you want to begin to look at the votes that has been chunked out you want to begin to compare the votes from cano and that's of legal course for a lot of consent but we cannot as much as we say that it's fake news kofi we can also take out the fact that there's always been political interference with the census yeah yeah yeah so these are the issues but the point I was making was that you know sorry to interrupt you actually the point I was making was that I think that the base the heart and core of the problems that we're facing come from societal values if if we as a society change we will see that things will begin to change but you're very correct but we need to move away this because we have no time at our second top trending what Nigerians have been talking about is that they've been talking about the new Naira notes by the way some people were excited I think I was one of those who took pictures but I'm not sure I posted the picture finally I saw the note I saw the note kofi I saw the note I saw the notes in Asaba that was the first time you went to uh so I was in Asaba some time not 8 a.m someone actually you know I've seen I mean it's not like seen so I'm saying seen director here gave me you know before before now like I kept on saying I've not seen the note oh so you know I didn't see I saw the notes in Delta state and I held the note it was the what's it called yes please put your hands together finally finally you know I saw the 500 Naira notes and you know I was pretty excited to reach on 500 yes it was a 500 so I haven't seen let me see I think I saw the 1000 in Lagos as well oh wow I was absolutely 500 the only one I saw I saw the 500 I had it I spent it you know I used it and all of that I thought I could keep some but I can't be holding the note so you have to put in a second when I when I say you are enjoying your chopping money in this video I don't understand what you deny you deny but coffee getting back to the course of the conversation is that in line with the directive of the central bank of Nigeria you have the deposit money banks dispensing because they already started dispensing the design Naira notes across the country in December that was last year 15 December to be precise 2020 and you know the complaint about not seeing the Naira note and you know the Naira notes being in short circulation too many come including myself now so you see how I'm celebrating that I finally lead my hands and spend the night you know the new Naira note but just one particular currency though it's the 500 Naira notes well however I'm excited that I'm able to because I started feeling like I was not part of the country but Nigeria's took to you know social media I mean that's where you feel like you can express yourself without being you know caged somehow even though people without without paying for it without paying for it I mean you you have a free so a lot of Nigerians took pictures of their note and some of it didn't look quite good I mean to be very honest I don't think it was one that was looking good some that had error you know in printing and that has gotten a lot of tongues wagging you would see 1000 one of them was the 1000 Naira notes and if we're able to put that picture out we have like you know had like an excess you know extra you know how it is I don't know if you've been to a printer's I call it it could probably be a printer's demon and that's what I call it no it's when you write but but no no no in printing you so that's also printing okay you don't write that's devil so you have writers devil you also have the the barbers demon they're all of devils so I think it probably just I wish you could see if you see the images some message referring to but I'm looking on my twitter feed right now and you know you know it's like when you're printing at home or you go to the press maybe all these printers like you know even photocopying you know sometimes when you're photocopying and some of the the papers may not may may may may fold and so you print on the back and someone put up you know took a shot of his 1000 new 1000 Naira notes where they there was it there was a fold at the corner the top right corner uh facing you you know and then the the 1000 printed on the folded part and then when they extended it the last zero which printed on the folded part was not there and you had the the paper now was excess over the line all the called the bleed you know so that's another person put up a a 500 Naira notes which I saw which shows that the you know the 500 Naira at the back is on both sides left up left down right corner up right corner down and you know when you are if you've done your printing maybe flyers you know those they used to print a lot of flyers for the social media became very very popular you have some people who cut the guys who cut the flyers for you they don't place it well those cutters are very sharp you have to place the papers well yeah hit it down place it well okay and then they now wind the cutter to cut the flyer if they don't cut it well you see that some part of the flyer will go maybe one flyer go into another flyer and that's what I'm seeing with these 500 Naira notes that someone put up on Twitter you know it shows you the Naira side is at the end is cut from the beginning and I mean these are these are issues that you see with when you and I print at home now or when you and I go to printing press I don't know where they print in Lagos but in Podhakot we print in M1 you can find them printing you know that this course this this was actually a Nigerian production now it was first thing it's kind so it's just a reflection of how we unfortunately Nigerian Nigerian Mint or Nigeria security and the minting cooperation is is a very qualified institution no but for the first time Kofi if if you were the one you were going to take this job for the very first time I'm sure it wants to put in your best and knowing the kind of you want to get it right 100 so we're not saying that people don't make mistakes and all of that and like I would say some people say is a printer's devil there's printers demon we understand and when you were even doing the description I mean when you're talking about how all of this happened I I have an idea of what you're saying because I have been in that you know space of printing I have seen the machine I know how it works I have you know you've been in the space of printing of Naira notes I didn't say Naira notes Kofi I said it I didn't say the Naira notes I said you've been denied but I say you deny Kofi I wasn't precise I'm saying printing generally I'm so it's almost the same thing as saying you're printing the notes the same procedures for printing you know goes almost the same way if you're talking about the notes so that's where because we're giving us some some names you know they talked about a particular chemical you know we did a we did a practical demonstration does it want to have Naira notes here maybe this time if I take it I'm not sure we have time to do it if I take it I'm not returning it but we did a practical here mercy and I took a white sheet of paper one of these are A4 papers we used to print news and I recycled I took an old one I turned back and the 500 Naira that Onoja head of production unit here gave me you know I gave it back to Onoja by the way and when I used it at the back of it was washing it was it was cleaning you could see the green you know and the excuse Central Bank of Nigeria gave for why the 500 Naira notes green is is staining whites and stuff is that they are new and then they talked about they talked about you you make me laugh like that it's it's worth laughing at you know the way you laugh says you know messy the way you laugh said it says you know if you're eating food you have spilled it here yes I would you know but the thing is this they said that it's new and they talked about one chemical they use and all that but we've been using new notes since we were born copy we need to go now have you seen any new you know why we need to go we need to go it's unfortunate yeah it's crazy but the Nigerian security printing and mitten company company they've been doing this for years mess it's not the first time you know but but you also know that over time I mean this is when you want to talk about printing when you talk about production sometimes you ask you have to ask yourself if it's start to finish what's saying start to finish you source the material here everything you're using it's all from you know the country it's not that you know because in our production cycle most times we have to import some of the materials that we're using the production and so you can't say start to finish so in most case I think this is this is first time where you know there were several reports and claims saying that hey this production the printing of the the nair note was you know start to finish so all of the materials and what have you is sourced here and I'm sure that we can do it better job that's the truth but you know it's what it is and it's unfortunate that it contradicts coffee quickly it contradicts you know the characteristics of money and this is what we're taught in elementary economics that you look at the characteristics of money you talk about durability it has to be generally accepted I mean these are some basic you know features of money you know it has to be durable it has to be it has to be you know accepted by a lot up until this man you still have the slaps of people in the head to say hey ask your notes you need to take it and this is something we learned in junior senior secondary school and I don't know why the CBN governor but doesn't know but messy fun fact very quick on fun fact you know oba san joe was the one who privatized the Nigeria security security printing and meeting company limited plc in 2002 now guess who was the managing director of the manager reside in protest when oba san joe privatized it and guess who it was cool it was a samba dasuki okay we need to go that's the size of our conversation we talk about that's okay money we have to go on our topic this morning we'll take a break and when we return it'll be time for us to go through the papers please stay with us good morning