By Blessing Enechojo Abu
Almost two months after the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, failed to appear before the House of Representatives over issues relating to the naira redesign, the apex bank boss has once again turned down the invitation of the ad hoc committee set up by the House to investigate the scarcity of the new naira.
The committee frowns at the deliberate absence of the management staff of the CBN on Thursday, January 26, 2023.
The meeting which was earlier scheduled for Wednesday was pushed forward to Thursday when the bank management team didn’t show up.
The chairman of the adhoc committee, Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa on Wednesday said;
“For the purposes of clarification, I want to say without any fear of contradiction, that the parliament is always an institution that represents the Nigerian people.
For an invitation to any government employee, like it is the case here with the CBN, the governor of the CBN, his directors, deputy directors, all departmental heads, I believe, are employees of the Nigerian people; and when there is a kind of summons from the institution of the parliament like this we expect every up-and-doing employee to only respect that invitation”.
“On this note, I would like to convey to this committee and members of the public and the press here with us that we have conceded to allow the CBN officials to come tomorrow by 1 pm so that we would engage them. And immediately after the engagement with them, we would engage the bank operators.”
The speaker of the House of Representatives however threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on the Governor of the apex bank for his refusal to attend the meeting today.
The speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila described the conduct of the CBN Governor and the other bank directors as unacceptable.
The speaker said;
“The refusal by the CBN to heed the invitation by the House of Representatives is evidence of a blatant disregard for the well-being of the Nigerian people who are their customers. It is also an insult to the authority and prerogatives of the people’s parliament.
Therefore, I will, pursuant to the authority conferred by Section 89 (1)(d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Order 19 (2)(1) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, not hesitate to issue a warrant to the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force to compel the attendance of the CBN or Managing Directors who fail, refuse or neglect to respond to the summons by the House of Representatives”.
Human Rights group queries CBN over scarcity of new Naira notes
Picture Source: Premium Times
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