Don't rush to change currency - Minister

Mampamhwe (Ash), June 1, GNA - Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister has stated that there was no need for people to rush to change their monies when the new Ghana Cedi and Pesewas come into circulation in July.

He said the six months transition period up to December 31 when the old and the new currencies would be in circulation concurrently would enable every individual the opportunity to have their old currencies changed for new ones without any difficulty.

Mr Owusu-Ansah was inaugurating two separate six-classroom blocks funded through HIPC at a total cost of 1.3 billion cedis at Mampamhwe and Ahansonyewodea in the Obuasi Municipality as part of his duty tour to the Municipality on Thursday.

The visit was to inspect on-going government projects, inaugurate and visit completed ones and also interact with the people on government policies and programmes.

Mr Owusu-Ansah reminded the people that even after the six months period, those who still have some of the old currencies in their possession could easily go to any of the commercial banks to have the monies changed for them or even deposit them if they wished. He cautioned them to be wary of fraudsters who would adopt maligning tactics to dupe them of their monies and advised that they take their time and not get confused to get their old currencies changed.

The Regional Minister who was accompanied by Regional Departmental Heads urged the people to support the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, the Municipal Chief Executive and other stakeholders to ensure peace and unity that would bring meaningful development to the Municipality.

Mr Owusu-Ansah re-echoed the importance of the National Health Insurance Scheme which replaced the "Cash and Carry System" and appealed to the people to embrace the scheme so that they remain healthy and contribute their quota to the development of the nation. The Minister earlier inaugurated a 67,000-dollar Dental Clinic funded by the Dutch government and inspected Children's Ward and Mortuary projects at Obuasi Government hospital. He also inspected the construction of the Obuasi town roads project and visited the Obuasi Malaria Control Centre.