Naira Scarcity: Threat To Polls, National Security -Reps
By Paul Effiong, Abuja
House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee Chairman on the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Policy, Hon Alhassan Ado-Doguwa has stated that the scarcity of the new naira notes has far reaching implications for the country in the areas of security and the conduct of the upcoming 2023 General Elections.
Hon Doguwa who stated this during a resumed hearing when the Committee engaged the Office of National Security Adviser ONSA, to the President on the effects of the Naira redesign on the country.
According to him, “Areas in terms of security during elections and so many other things.
“And it is the belief of this committee that the policy would have in one way or the other have certain implication to the security apparatus or security architecture of the country, especially when we are facing elections.
” In this guise we will expect you to let the committee know what you guys are into, the level of your preparedness in terms of being proactive as to how this policy could not be able to affect some of your statutory mandate.
He reiterated the readiness of his committee to live up to the mandates through which it was inaugurated.
The Chairman also disclosed that though his committee has accepted the apologies from some invited agencies for their failure to appear, all involved must appear in person to explain reasons why Nigerians are struggling hard to get their monies from commercial banks.
Hon Doguwa also explained during the hearing his committee readiness to explore all issues relating to terms of reference in security, regarding the forthcoming general elections as well as other relevant issues that fall within the jurisdiction of his committee.
The Chairman equally expresses the belief of this committee to ensure that policy of the government should affect people positively in one way or the other.
That said, globally, military operations, even in first world countries, such policies, if not properly well thought out, will affect some of our soldiers who are deployed in places where they cannot actually access digital means of paying for their daily subsistence.
In his response, the representative of the National Security Adviser, NSA, Admiral A.A Mustapher ,retd, informed the Committee that “because of the sensitivity of some of this information that will come but bordering on security, there are things we cannot say in the media.
“That said, globally, military operations, even in first world countries, such policies, if not properly well thought out, will affect some of our soldiers deployed in places where they cannot actually access digital means of paying for their daily subsistence.
“One of the main issues that NSA has been talking about is that it is important that this committee sits down and articulates better ways of actually addressing these issues.
He added that he has directed a committee in his office to write out his position to assist the ad hoc committee meet its mandate.
