Naira Redesign: CBN Fires Finance Minister, Says It Gets Approval From Buhari
- The CBN has replied the minister of finance, Zainab Ahmed over her comment on the plan to redesign the Naira
- Ahmed had claimed that her ministry was carried along before the decision was taken by the apex bank
- Osita Nwanisobi, the CBN spokesman, stressed that the CBN remains a very thorough institution
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Amid controversy over the plan to redesign Naira, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it followed due process as far as the process of three series of the naira is concerned.
Daily Trust reports that the spokesman of the apex bank, Osita Nwanisobi, said this while responding to the minister of finance, budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed, who said her ministry was not carried along.
Source: UGC
Legit.ng gathered that while appearing before a Senate committee on Friday, October 28, the minister had faulted the process, which she described as ill-timed.
Speaking on the issue, Nwanisobi expressed surprise at the minister’s claim, stressing that the CBN remains a very thorough institution.
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He said the management of the CBN, in line with provisions of section 2(b), section 18(a), and section 19(a)(b) of the CBN Act 2007, had duly sought and obtained the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari in writing to redesign, produce, release and circulate new series of N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes.
There is no need to worry about Naira redesign
Nwanisobi, however, urged Nigerians to support the currency redesign project, saying that it was in the overall interest of Nigerians, reiterating that some persons were hoarding significant sums of banknotes outside the vaults of commercial banks.
This trend, he said, should not be encouraged by anyone who means well for the country.
Furthermore, he noted that currency management in the country had faced several escalating challenges which threatened the integrity of the currency, the CBN, and the country.
CBN will always safeguard the integrity of Naira
Nwanisobi added that every top-rate Central Bank was committed to safeguarding the integrity of the local legal tender, the efficiency of its supply, as well as its efficacy in the conduct of monetary policy.
On the timing of the redesign project, Nwanisobi explained that the CBN had even tarried for too long considering that it had to wait 20 years to carry out a redesign, whereas the standard practice globally was for central banks to redesign, produce and circulate new local legal tender every five to eight years.
While assuring Nigerians that the currency redesign exercise was purely a central banking exercise and not targeted at any group, the CBN spokesman expressed optimism that the effort will, among other goals, deepen Nigeria’s push to entrench a cashless economy in the face of increased minting of the eNaira.
This, he said, is in addition to helping to curb the incidents of terrorism and kidnapping due to access of persons to the large volume of money outside the banking system used as a source of funds for ransom payments.
Nwanisobi, therefore, urged Nigerians, irrespective of their status, to support the Naira redesign project, as it is for the greater good of the economy.
Federal Government not in support of CBN governor’s decision to redesign some naira notes, says Ahmed
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the federal government distanced itself from the planned redesign of the Naira notes by the CBN.
It was reported that the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, announced on Wednesday that the N200, N500, and N1000 notes would be redesigned effective from December 15.
Emefiele noted the planned policy was in consonant with Sections 19 (A) and (B) of the CBN Act 2007 which allowed the apex bank to seek and obtain the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter.
Source: Legit.ng
