Ban on spraying of naira affecting our industry – Ogun event planners

Event planners and vendors in Ogun State, on Thursday lamented that, the ban on spraying of the naira note at parties by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has killed the glamour and funfair that come with parties and social functions.

The Convener of Ogun event vendors, Bola Ayedun-Solate said, although the ban has affected the event planning industry, but Nigerians are beginning to adapt to the new development.

Ayedun-Solate spoke at the official flag off of the 2024 edition of training of prospective event planners and vendors being organised by her organisation, the M19 Events Consult Academy (MECA) in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the CBN recently intensified their crackdown on individuals who engage in abuse of naira notes.

The CBN and EFCC have vowed to arrest and prosecute anyone found guilty of spraying, writing, tearing, stapling, dancing or stamping on the naira notes.

Reacting to the development, Ayedun-Solate said, party goers, musicians and event planners have invented other means of “spraying naira” at parties for fear of being arrested and prosecuted.

She hailed the CBN for defending and protecting the naira notes, insisting that, Nigerians don’t have to abuse the naira to display their affluence at social gatherings.

“For us as event planners, the ban on spraying of naira at parties has removed the glamour from parties, but we are finding our way around it and the people are beginning to get used to the new norm.

“Our clients don’t need to come in front of musicians to abuse naira, we now have money bags printed where money are dropped for our clients.

“There was also a time that the association of event planners in Nigeria had makeshift for money, something like money voucher sprayed at parties instead of the naira notes.

“I will implore our people to do money bags and embrace other options instead of abusing the naira at parties,” Ayedun-Solate said.