The Bank of Ghana has strongly debunked public assertions that the new GH¢5.00 commemorative banknotes have features of evil worship.
According to the Central Bank, the production of new currencies involved a lot of technicalities and nobody has the time to play around with spiritual issues in the issuance of new banknotes or coins for the country.
It has therefore advised Ghanaians not to associate any spiritual meanings with the security features on both sides of the new GH¢5.00 banknotes.
The Advisor to the Governors of the Central Bank, Ms. Catherine Ashiley who gave the advice at a sensitization programme in Hohoe described the situation as unfortunate.
The new GH¢5.00 banknote since its introduction on March 4, 2017 has received varying public opinions with some associating the security features on the notes with satanic worship.
The nine tactile marks on both ends of the front view of the notes had particularly been equated with the Biblical “Mark of the Beast, 666” with some strongly objecting to use the banknotes.
But Ms. Ashiley in her presentation noted that the tactile marks on the banknotes are internationally accepted security features which assist the blind and the visually impaired to easily identify the new currency.
She said the new notes have received international recognitions for the security features and is regarded as one of the most modern currencies in the world.
Ms. Ashiley added that the production of a new currency usually takes more than one year to complete and urged Ghanaians to desist from politicizing the activities of the bank as no political party had a hand in the printing of the new banknotes.
The Deputy Chief Manager of Currency Management Department of BOG, Mr. Dominic Owusu who took the participants through the security features explained that the new GH¢5.00 banknotes were strategically designed to stand the test time and counterfeiters.
He said the new notes have eight security features which cannot be easily counterfeited thereby making them one of the most secured currency notes in the world.
He urged Ghanaians to take proper care of the country’s banknotes as they are the distinguishing features of the country to the international business community.