What could keep Emefiele away at this critical time – Gbajabiami queries
Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the House of Representatives, on Tuesday reacted to the inability of the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele to brief lawmakers on the newly introduced policies. The policies are the redesigning of some banknotes and the cash withdrawal limits.
Emefiele failed to appear before the lawmakers for the second time on Tuesday, as he claims to be overseas on official duties.
Speaking during plenary, Hon. Gbajabiamila wondered what could keep the CBN governor away to warrant his non-appearance.
“It is important for the CBN governor to know that we will not tolerate further excuses in terms of non-appearance before the House to explain to Nigerian people some of these policies.
“At this point, we will be requesting to find out what that official assignment is that will keep the CBN governor away for almost two weeks. I would like to know that official assignment at this critical point in Nigeria that will keep him away for two weeks,’’ the speaker said.
In his own contribution to the debate, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, said the House and the Senate had already resolved that the CBN suspend implementation of its new guidelines and policies.
To him, “whether he (Emefiele) comes or he doesn’t come, we have passed a resolution asking him to suspend, and the Senate has concurred. So, what we should be looking at is whether he will disregard the concurrent resolution of both chambers. I think we should work towards and reinforce that, pending when he appears before us to brief the House.”
The House then resolved to give the CBN governor or any of his deputies equipped with information on the policies, till Thursday to brief them.
The CBN recently redesigned the N1,000, N500, and N200 notes. The Bank said, by doing so,it would take a more effective control of money in circulation. The Bank also fixed daily and weekly cash withdrawal limits for both individual and corporate.
