The Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG) has condemned utterances credited to some individuals and organisations, calling for the immediate sack of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
A statement on Tuesday signed by President of CCSG, Etuk Bassey Williams and Secretary General, Abubakar Ibrahim, explained that such utterances were aimed at distracting Emefiele from performing his statutory responsibilities.
The CCSG, which is an umbrella body of about 5,000 groups across the country, also decried some unguarded utterances by individuals who alleged that CBN is being mismanaged under Emefiele.
The group further passed a vote of confidence on the CBN governor.
Williams contended that Nigerians are aware of Emefiele’s efforts and commitment to stabilise the economy through the introduction of monetary and economic policies that have yielded good results.
He said as part of the CBN’s governor’s efforts in keeping to his terms of engagement and promises since assumption of office, Emefiele has offered numerous interventions and support for Small and Medium Enterprises, among other interventions.
According to him, “We need to tell the ‘nay sayers’ and other paid agents that during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Emefiele was able to mobilise the private sector and salvage the situation, despite the harsh financial state of the country.
“He also introduced several policies to support the poor; the farmers’ Anchor Borrowers Programme that just witnessed the first of its kind, the exhibition of rice pyramid, a few months ago.
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“He has also created a support base for local companies to be competitive and of recent is the Dangote Fertilizer Scheme, and these are aimed at supporting our farmers.
“Under his watch in CBN for the first time, he ensured diversification of the economy from the oil to the non-oil sector.
“When Godwin Emefiele assumed office as the 10th indigenous Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria on June 3, 2014, he promised to build a resilient financial system that can serve the growth and development needs of the Nigerian economy.”
While still reeling out some of the achievements of the CBN governor, William said Emefiele promised that Bank’s policies and programmes would be designed towards supporting job creation and fostering inclusive growth, in addition to key macroeconomic concerns such as inflation and exchange rate stability in the country.
He, therefore, dismissed the allegation that the CBN governor is compromising his office through his involvement in political activities.
He described the claim of the opponents of Emefiele as “most unfortunate, unfounded, and uncharitable.”
According to Williams, “The issue of Campaign Banners of Emefiele is the handiwork of Nigerians who are pleased with his efforts and achievements as a CBN Governor, his loyalty to Mr. President and his desire to make the All Progressives Congress(APC) government deliver on their promises to Nigeria.
“The call to run for the office of the Presidency is a clarion demand for his service to the nation at large, having performed credibly well.”
The President of CCSG therefore, said the CBN governor is not distracted as he has not yielded to the calls coming from some Nigerians to contest.
“We do not need any form of distraction, on this note, we urge all organisations positioned to execute the unholy and dastardly act of pulling down our best to stop,” he warned.
