The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Thursday took its awareness campaign on its products and interventions to Sokoto and Kebbi State.

Speaking at the fair with the theme: Promoting Financial Stability and Economic Development at Sultan Maccido Quranic institute , Sokoto the CBN Governor Mr Godwin Emefiele said this 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 explained that part of the meeting was to sensitize the general public on the bank’s policies and interventions and how to access them.

He further 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 brings 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 awarded,

he added

He debunked insinuation that it was only those that had connections that can access CBN intervention funds, saying it is for every Nigerians.

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 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 programs of the CBN, urging the apex bank to do more.

The commissioner pleaded with the central bank to provide farmers with more credit facilities with single digits interest rates.

The program is also simultaneously going on in Kebbi State.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.