The Bawku West District Director of National Commission for Civic Education, Mr Dominic Akugre, has cautioned the public, especially traders, artisans and food vendors on mishandling of the new Ghana Cedi to be introduced soon. He said such attitude did not only drain the country's resources used in printing more notes but created a bad impression about the nation in the 'eyes' of the international community. Mr Akugre gave the caution at a sensitisation forum to launch Phase One of the New Ghana Cedi Education at Zebilla. Phase one of the campaign covered 10 out of the 20 communities within the district. Mr Akugre said the law on defacing of currency notes, should be allowed to have its full impact on offenders and advised the public to handle the new currency notes with utmost care and respect. He explained that the new currency was to make monetary transactions easier, safer and to eliminate the difficulties and risks associated with carrying large sums of money. Mr Akugre said it would also reduce the long periods spent at the commercial banks to transact business. He expressed concern about a new phenomenon where people write phone numbers on the notes and give them to children to purchase units transfer onto their phones, adding "Such attitude is bad and should stop." Mr Akugre advised artisans and food vendors to use clean hands to handle the currency notes to prolong their life span. Mr Alhassan Bukari, a Field Officer at the Upper East Regional Office of Bank of Ghana, said the new currency would ensure efficient payment systems and reduce Government's expenditure in printing large volumes of currency frequently. He advised the people to desist from keeping large sums of money at home and urged them to open bank accounts to avoid being duped during the transition period. Mr Bukari said no agent would be needed during the transition period and called on the people to deal directly with the banks. Mr Haruna Suleimana, Upper East Regional Director of NCCE, said the confidence reposed in the major currencies of the world was due to their neatness and called on the public to accord the new Cedi that respect. Source: GNA