President Muhammadu Buhari and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, unveiled the CBN’s Lafia branch on Thursday to bring banking services closer to the state government and other institutions. Mr Abdullahi Sule, the host governor, was also present.
While neither President Buhari nor Governor Sule make a remark at the event, the CBN Governor stated that the complex was completed on August 13, 2021, after several years of hard work and primarily local content, in line with the Buhari administration’s commitment to promote the use of Nigerian resources and services as a means of enhancing the capabilities of our indigenous people without compromising quality, safety, health, or environmental standards.
He added that the project was consistent with the Federal Government’s statutory requirement for the presence of a Central Bank of Nigeria in every State of the Federation, for currency and business transactions by government agencies and corporate entities in Nasarawa State.
Emefiele noted that the Bank has also developed branch buildings in eight other state capitals.
“We have completed work in the branches at Abakaliki, Ado-Ekiti, Birnin-Kebbi, Dutse, Gusau and Yenagoa, while those at Jalingo and Damaturu will be completed soon. With this, we have CBN structures in all States of the Federation”, he added.
Emefiele revealed that the apex bank on February 22, 2022 unveiled the CBN Strategy for 2021 – 2024, in line with its focus to create an enabling environment that will drive both public and private sectors participation in the real sector with strategic deliverables around price stability, job creation, financial inclusion, import substitution and accretion to foreign reserves.
Also speaking at the event, Mohammed Umoru, the Executive Director, Quintec Limited, the local contractor that handled CBN building said the successful completion of the building was a testament that Nigerians have developed the capacity to handle world-class projects.
“What we have today is a testimony that we can do it. We were awarded the contract and we took it headlong as a challenge. We have been able to deliver. Everybody is happy about it.
You asked about challenges. Challenges are part of life. In a project of this nature, you can’t rule out challenges. So many unpredictable things would certainly crop up; social and political.
“However, the bottom line is, everything is overcome and we surmounted the challenges with the assistance of CBN”, he said.