The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has called on the Bank of Ghana (BoG) not to discontinue the printing and circulation of pesewa coins but rather strengthen measures to enforce their acceptance across the country.

The party said the growing refusal by traders, transport operators, and sections of the public to accept five pesewa, 10 pesewa, and 20 pesewa coins was undermining the integrity of the national currency and contributing to unfair price increases.

In a statement signed and issued by the Acting National First Vice-Chairperson of the CPP, Joyce Larbie, the party urged the central bank to ensure that banks continued to accept and recirculate pesewa coins without difficulty.

“The solution is not to abandon small denominations, but to enforce their use and ensure banks accept and recirculate them without penalty,” the statement said.

It cautioned that any phased withdrawal of pesewa coins without adequate public education and practical alternatives could worsen the problem.

Legal tender status

The CPP also appealed to the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General’s Department to publicly reaffirm the legal tender status of all cedi and pesewa notes and coins under the BoG Act.

The party further called for sanctions against individuals and businesses that systematically rejected pesewa coins in commercial transactions.

“Where necessary, apply sanctions against the systematic rejection of legal tender,” It stated.

According to the party, failure to enforce the use of all denominations of the cedi was weakening confidence in the currency and distorting prices at the retail level.

Appeal to traders, drivers

The CPP further appealed to market associations, traders, and transport unions, particularly the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), to encourage their members to accept all denominations and provide exact change to customers.

It said the informal rejection of pesewa coins had become widespread in markets and on commercial transport routes, resulting in arbitrary rounding up of prices and fares.

The party urged transport operators to ensure that passengers received the correct balance during transactions.

Public support

The CPP also called on members of the public to insist on receiving and using pesewa coins in daily transactions.

It encouraged citizens to report persistent refusal of coins to the Bank of Ghana consumer hotline.

“Ghana cannot fight inflation while we discard the foundation of our currency,” it said.

It added that restoring respect for every denomination of the cedi was essential to maintaining economic discipline and protecting low-income earners from unnecessary price increases.