The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Thursday took its awareness campaign on its products and interventions to Sokoto and Kebbi State.
The CBN Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele said that the fair with the theme: Promoting Financial Stability and Economic Development was to enlighten the general public about the products and interventions of the bank to grow the nation’s economy. Represented by the Acting Director, Corporate Communication Department, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi, Emefiele disclosed that the bank had interventions for farmers, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) with low interest rates, stressing that many are ignorant of it.
He stated that there was a policy of the bank that worn or torn money can be replaced if the owners bring it to the bank.
“Let me inform you Naira is our National heritage and we need to do everything to protect or preserve it, worn or torn. Money can be replaced in the banks but many are not aware,” he said.
He debunked insinuation that it was only those that had connections that can access CBN intervention funds, saying it is for every Nigerian.
In his welcome address the Sokoto controller of the bank, Alhaji Yusuf Wali said the bank, overtime had introduced some strategic initiatives and intervention programmes to support the Nigerian economy.
Wali said the initiatives and the intervention schemes covered the payment system, consumer protection, financial inclusion, clean notes policy, the real and agricultural sectors among others
The controller added that the bank had made significant impact on most of the programs, especially the Anchor Borrowers Program and the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Funds (ACGSF) at the state level.
On his part, the Sokoto state commissioner of Agriculture Alhaji Arzika Tureta represented by the permanent secretary in the ministry Alhaji Umar Wali said the state had tremendously benefited from the intervention programmes of the CBN, urging the apex bank to do more.
The commissioner pleaded with the CBN to provide farmers with more credit facilities with single digits interest rates.