Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an NGO, has called on the government to place emphasis on imprisonment for spraying at parties with no option of fine.

Akintola, who made the plea in Lagos on Monday, said that, “by doing this, we can save the society from materialism and moral decadence’’.

He commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for placing ban on spraying of money at parties, saying that the ban was long overdue and urged the apex bank to enforce the ban on sale of new naira notes at parties because the hawkers were aiding and abetting spraying of money at parties.

“MURIC calls the attention of the CBN to those who sell new naira notes. They are the ones who aid and abet spraying at parties. The Police should be empowered to seize such money and return it to government treasury. Those who desecrate the naira deserve punishment. Emphasis should be placed on imprisonment for spraying at parties. There should be no option of fine. By doing this, we can save the society from materialism and moral decadence,’’ he said.

He appealed to the law enforcement agencies to enforce the ban in the interest of future generations.

The CBN recently placed a ban on spraying money at parties, saying that anyone caught in the act will pay a fine of N50,000 or risk six months imprisonment.

“We hail the CBN for the ban on spraying at parties. It is a nauseating practice. We are so materialistic today that we have forsaken our core values. What do you expect when people who have not taken any meal throughout the day watch you spraying money so recklessly as if you are throwing ordinary pieces of paper? The average worker lives from hand to mouth, while majority of Nigerian students manage to survive on one meal per day”.

“The question MURIC is asking is this, how can any Nigerian, acting in good conscience, come out boldly to spray money in such circumstance? We have seen the faces of hungry youths hanging around party venues waiting for left-over from the tables of party-goers,’’ he said.

Akintola noted that Nigerians spraying money on the dance floor were inducing greed and encouraging crime.

According to him, the ban on spraying is, therefore, capable of reducing crime in the society.

He urged the apex bank to scrap the option of fine for anyone convicted and sentenced after the offender had been prosecuted for violating the ban on “spraying” of money at parties.

“The length of jail term may depend on the amount sprayed and the currency used. It should be a non-bailable offence. Nigerians fear to go to jail but they do not mind paying fines. This is why we advocate the scraping of fines for spraying money at parties,’’ Akintola said.

(NAN)