CBN clears air on Obaseki’s N60bn allegation against FG

The Central Bank of Nigeria has opened up on the allegation by the Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki that the federal government printed N60bn to augment the March revenue shared by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).

While confirming that the apex bank does print money, CBN’s governor, Godwin Emefiele on Thursday said the concept of printing money to support states is not new and that ‘people should stop adding colouration to it’

Defending the government’s action, Emefiele said “most countries in the world today are confronted not only by the challenges coming from the COVID-19 pandemic causing an economic crisis and the rest of them.

“What I keep saying is that it will be irresponsible for the CBN or any other federal reserve to stand idle and refuse to support its government at this time and what we are doing here is being done in other climes.

The apex bank governor explained that the bank’s interventions are meant to address the grim economic outlook because “Nigeria is unfortunately in a very bad situation,” He added: “If you understand the concept of printing of money, it is about lending money”.

“That is our job. To print is about lending money. So, there is no need of putting all the controversy about printing money as if we go into the factory, print the naira and start distributing on the streets.

“It’s very inappropriate for people to give colouration to printing money as if it’s some foreign words coming from the sky”.

Giving further clarification, Emefiele said “it’s important for me to put it this way that in 2015/16, the kind of situation we found ourselves in, we did provide a budget support facility to all the states of this country”.

And in a twist to the tale, Emefiele announced that states government must begin to pay back the Budget Support Loans given to them by the Federal Government since they are accusing the federal government of printing money.

“That loan is still unpaid up till now. We are going to insist on them paying back those monies since they’re accusing us of giving them loans”.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, on Wednesday during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) Meeting described Obaseki’s claims as “sad” and “untrue”.