Mutilated local dalasi banknotes are being recalled from circulation by the Central Bank of The Gambia following public complaints about their smudged quality, APA can report on Monday.Damaged five, ten and 20 dalasi denominations have been a challenge to handle due to their notoriously bad shape, prompting widespread calls for them to be withdrawn from circulation. 

The bank said in a statement on Monday that an exercise to replace the old mutilated banknotes with new ones begins on January 30, 2022 and will continue till the end of the year.

According to the statement, the bank had signed a contract with currency printers, De La Rue Ltd. on August 26, 2022, for the supply of new banknotes with which to replace the old, wrinkled ones some of which have not been in circulation for more than three years.

”The Central Bank is expecting to receive the first consignment of additional new banknotes in February 2023” the statement said.

The bank also said it will commence the withdrawal of old series banknotes with effect from February 15, 2023, in an exercise which will continue until the end of December 2023.

It said the exchange of new family banknotes could be done at the central bank or commercial banks.