Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has described those calling for the sack of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele as ‘’faceless manipulators and palm wine drinkers’’ who are wasting their time because President Muhammadu Buhari will not be fooled by their actions.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja during his visit to National Universities Commission (NUC) for the presentation of Letter of Recognition of Edo University, Iyamho, Oshiomhole said that the presidency and the CBN are loud and clear that there would be no devaluation of Nigeria’s currency. He said with the challenge of running the economy when there is
limited inflow of foreign exchange (FOREX), the government do not want to trigger a process that will lead to endless devaluation of naira that will ultimately reduce Nigeria’s naira to Zimbabwean dollar.
He said the hiring and firing of CBN governor may not be a political decision because institutions must be respected.
Also, speaking during a separate press conference in Abuja, Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG) has called on Nigerians to support the current administration’s monetary policy effected by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), saying that Nigerians voted for change and not magic. It added that the change that will usher in an everlasting period of prosperity must be gradual and not spontaneous, with the capacity to repair the faulty foundation and maladministration by past ad
ministration.
The president of the group, Mr. Etuk Bassey Williams noted that Nigeria is presently going through one of the most difficult periods in her national life due to several events such as global oil glut that have characterised the socio-economic and political landscape of the nation in the past one year.
He said: ‘’Just as it is on record that no government preceding President Buhari has dared to probe security vote or fight corruption with the intense ruthlessness as we are presently witnessing so also is his will power to ruthlessly tackle the various clogs in the wheel of our economic progress as this is evident in his bold approach of supporting the CBN Governor led FOREX policy in stopping the sale of foreign exchange to Bureau de Change (BDC), a policy which has helped in no small measure to checkmate round tripping.’’
He said that having gone through a successful transition, which brought in an opposition party to power for the first time, it became the case of mixed excitement when the country equally happens to be passing through difficult times economically as the main source of the nation’s revenue, which is crude oil is daily declining in the international market thereby causing a shortfall in foreign exchange earnings available to the nation.
He said: ‘’It is this contradiction of fortunes that has made it an extremely difficult period, for Nigerians.
Who expect a spontaneous change in fortunes having gone through untoward hardships in time past.’’
He stated that having done an in depth analysis of the current economic situation in the country under the present leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, they are very optimistic that the various policies of government will help to bring about monetary and price stability in the system.
‘’While we are not unaware that when you wage a war against a wrong system, the system will fight back, it is however pertinent that Nigerians remain vigilant and steadfast in resisting any gang up behind such system that has been operating before now,’’ he added. (Leadership)
