Clamp Down On BDC Operators Will Worsen Forex Crisis – Peter Obi

The Presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 general election Mr Peter Obi has condemned the attacks on Bureaux de Change (BDCs) operators across the country by security agencies saying that it is ill-advised and wrongly directed.

Obi, who stated this on Sunday on his verified Facebook page, stated that rather than solve the problem, the action will further escalate and worsen the exchange rate situation in the country.

The former Anambra State governor disclosed that the BDCs operators are part of every economy and can be found even in the developed economies of the world.

He emphasized that the only way to save the value of the naira is to move the country from consumption to production, especially export-led production, and fight corruption, which allows unproductive money to pursue the available supply of foreign currency.

According to Obi, “The recent reported attacks and disruption of the business activities of Bureaux de Change (BDCs) operators in different urban centres across the country by Government Agencies are ill-advised and wrongly directed.

“Rather than solve the problem, the action will further escalate and worsen the exchange rate situation in the country. The BDCs are not the primary suppliers of forex, nor do they create demand. They only provide a market to sellers and buyers of foreign currency.

“They are part and parcel of every economy and can be found even in the developed economies of the world. To think that the BDCs are the cause of the declining value of the Naira is a smack on rational economic thinking.

“The only way to shore up the value of our currency is to move the country from consumption to production, especially export-led production, and fight corruption, which allows unproductive money to pursue the available supply of foreign currency.

“As long as Nigeria remains an unproductive economy and corruption continues unfettered with people in possession of unproductive excess cash, the value of our currency will continue to depreciate.

“It’s important therefore that government authorities properly understand the workings of a modern economy and channel their efforts accordingly.”