The Anambra State Government has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the reappointment of Mr Godwin Emefiele as the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, after a successful first term of five years.
The commendation was made public this morning by the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba, in a statement released in the state capital, Awka.
The statement quoted Governor Willie Obiano as saying that both the government and people of Anambra State are delighted at the reappointment because it is “based purely on merit and an appreciation of the values of policy consistency, national interest, financial system stability and a strong desire for rapid national economic growth”.
Chief Obiano is a former top bank executive and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) before becoming its Patron based on professional excellence.
Adinuba quoted Governor Obiano as stating: “One thing which Mr Emefiele’s reappointment signifies is that President Buhari has started in earnest the implementation of the new policy of inclusiveness which he assured the Nigerian people after his reelection last February and an issue which he and I have been discussing in private.
“Though Mr Emefiele was appointed the CBN Governor five years ago by erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan, President Buhari saw the need for him to continue in office in the overriding interest of the nation.
“The president deserves commendation for standing firm on his decision on Emefiele’s reappointment, unlike a former President who was enamoured of Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s brilliance, foresight, energy, patriotism and accomplishments as the CBN Governor, but at the end of the day succumbed to pressures from those who didn’t want Professor Soludo back for parochial reasons.
“The nation should expect more balanced appointments from President Buhari in his second term, and this is the pathway to national greatness.
“ Massive economic progress can come about only when we choose the best candidates for key public offices, regardless of their ethnicity or the faith they profess.”
Governor Obiano described Mr Emefiele’s policies as courageous, sound and in the interest of the Nigerian people.
He argued: “Rather than pander to dictates of those who prescribe unrestrained market forces in economic policy to developing nations, Mr Emefiele placed on a foreign exchange embargo on 43 items which are not critically needed here or can be provided in Nigeria.
“The embargo helped to shore up the naira against international currencies when it was under severe pressure following the crash of crude oil prices and a drastic reduction in the volume of crude oil exported from our country.
“It also helped the Government and people of Anambra State in the rice production drive, as the embargo made smuggled foreign rice more expensive and less effective to compete with the famous Anambra Rice which has been growing in leaps and bounds.
“The performance of the Anambra Rice brand in the Nigerian market in recent years has encouraged investors to make much bigger investments in our state, making rice production in our state grow from 80,000 metric tonnes a year to about 424,000 metric tonnes now”.
Governor Obiano concluded that he is confident that people of Anambra State and the Southeast geopolitical zone will benefit far more from President Buhari than in the first term.
“President Buhari did more for the Southeast in terms of providing critical infrastructure than in giving them key appointments, but he will this time do both because he is a fair-minded person who wants all sections of the country to have a great sense of belonging in the Nigerian federation”.
