Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele has again failed to appear before the House of Representatives. His action on Tuesday makes it the second time he would refuse to honour the invitation of the lower legislative chamber on the cash withdrawals policy, which has generated intense controversy..
The House had summoned Emefiele to explain the latest policy by the apex bank which, among others, sets limits to cash withdrawals at the Deposit Money Banks and other financial institutions.
The House was to grill Emefiele over the policy on Thursday last week but he failed to appear before the lawmakers.
In a communication to the House, CBN’s Deputy Governor for Corporate Services, Mr Edward Adamu said that Emefiele was in the entourage of President Muhammadu Buhari on an official trip to the United States. President Buhari returned from that trip on Monday.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Ahmed Wase, read out the letter to members at the opening of plenary on Thursday, said the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila had rescheduled Emefiele’s appearance to Tuesday.
Gbajabiamila said that the lawmakers would want to know about the official assignment that had lasted two weeks.
The Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu said that, should the CBN governor decide not to appear before the House on Thursday, when the lawmakers have scheduled to go on Christmas and New Year break, their resolution on suspension of the policy still stands.
Source: The PUNCH