Nation
FG Disburses N2trn To Mitigate Covid-19 Impact
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, yesterday, disclosed that the synchronized efforts by the monetary and fiscal authorities to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic have led to the disbursement of N2trillion as of January this year.
Emefiele made the disclosure at the end of the first Monetary Policy Committee meeting of this year.
He revealed that N192.64billion has been disbursed to 426,016 beneficiaries of the Covid-19 Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) meant for household and small businesses.
“We have also disbursed N106.96billion to 27,956 beneficiaries under the Agri-Business Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS), while in the Health Care Support Intervention Facility, we have disbursed N72.96billion to 73 project that comprise 26 pharmaceutical projects and 47 hospitals and Health Care Services Project in the country.
“To support the provision of employment opportunities for the Nigerian youth, the Central Bank of Nigeria also provided financial support through the Creative Industry Financing Initiative and Nigerian Youth Investment Fund amounting to N3.12billion with 320 beneficiaries and N268million with 395 beneficiaries, respectively.
“On enhancing power supply, the Bank has so far, provided N18.58billion for the procurement of 347,853 electricity reading meters to Discos in support of the National Mass Metering Programme”, the CBN governor revealed.
Emefiele noted that, under the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), N554.63billion had been disbursed to 2,849,490 beneficiaries since the inception of the programme, of which N61.02billion was allocated to 359,370 dry season farmers.
The committee urged the Bank to sustain its current drive to improve access to credit to the private sector while exploring other complementary initiatives, in collaboration with the Federal Government, to improve funding to critical sectors of the economy.
On the external reserves position, the committee noted the increase in the level of external reserves, which stood at $36.23billion as at January 21, 2021 compared with $34.94billion at the end of November, 2020.
This reflected improvements in crude oil prices, partial global economic recovery amid optimism over the discovery and distributions of Covid-19 vaccines by most developed economies.
On efforts to stabilise food prices, Emefiele said that the bank has detected the unhealthy activities of private commodities exchange, a development that necessitates the repositioning of the Nigeria commodity exchange.
“We have written to the President and luckily, we have received the approval to restructure and reposition the Nigeria commodity exchange. It will operate like standard commodity exchanges that you can find in any part of the world which includes stabilizing of food prices generally. We will be coming up with the agenda and framework for the restructuring and repositioning of the Nigeria commodity exchange and we will do so in a manner that prices must be stable in Nigeria.
“We will not allow some self-seeking private exchange commodity to be holding agriculture products and be creating problems for prices because price stability is the core mandate of CBN and we cannot shy away from the responsibility, luckily the CBN own 60 per cent of Nigeria commodity exchange and we take control of it and will run it the way commodity exchanges are supposed to be run in any part of the world. That is one way that we would want to stabilize food prices in Nigeria”.
During the period under review, money market rates remained low, reflecting the prevailing liquidity conditions in the banking system.
Overall, the monthly weighted average Open Buy Back (OBB) rates declined further from the 1.13 per cent in November, 2020 to 1.09 per cent in December, 2020.
On the equities market, the committee noted the positive performance, particularly the sustained patronage by domestic investors largely driven by the prevailing low yields in the money market.
The All-Share Index (ASI) increased by 1.82 per cent to 41,001.99 points as at January 22, 2021 from 40,270.72 points on December 31, 2020.
Similarly, Market Capitalization (MC) grew by 1.80 per cent to N21.44trillion from N21.06trillion over the same period.
This improved performance was largely attributed to gains recorded in medium and large capitalized companies, notably in consumer goods, banking, insurance and oil and gas sectors.
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), however, noted the marginal increase in the Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) ratio which rose to 6.01 per cent at end-December, 2020 from 5.88 per cent at end-November, 2020 and above the prudential maximum threshold of 5.0 per cent.
While noting that this development is not unexpected under the prevailing circumstances, it urged the Bank to strengthen its macroprudential framework to bring NPLs below the prescribed benchmark.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt in conjunction with the Embassy of France Nigeria over the weekend joined the globe to campaign against the 2025 gender- based violence (GBV) with the theme: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Voice”
The event which took place at the event Hall of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt was in collaboration with the Female in Gaming Network, ( FIGN) and partnership with Nexal a body that seeks to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
The Tide reports that the project which was aimed at promoting digital safety and girls inclusion in Gaming, with the initiative tagged ‘Gameover Gender- Base Violence’was part of the global campaign against gender- based Violence.
The activity which experienced a flavour of festivity was full of fun and excitements as participants took part in tournaments on popular digital games such as Mario kart and EAFC 25, with an intent to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
The Director of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs Marina Lacal said that these activities were designed to encourage inclusion of girls, team work and fair play on online gaming spaces, saying that the gaming world reflects these inequalities, where female players are often under represented.
According to her the main objectives of the initiative was to provide a supportive environment for girls and female in gaming network.
“GameOverGBV” is a project created to reshape this landscape by offering an innovative inclusiveness of girls on online digital Gaming community and digital environments that provide opportunities for creativity, learning and connection, but also fight against Gender-Based Violence Digital Gaming,”she said
She however, explained that the Digital Game, sport competitions, was launched to strengthen social and digital skills through games, workshops, and raise awareness among all young participants about respect, equality and digital citizenship.
The Tide News reports that in Port Harcourt, the competition brought together 100 young participants from three major universities: University of Port Harcourt, ( UNIPORT),Ignatius Ajuru University of Education(IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU)as well as students from four selected secondary schools, Oginigba comprehensive Secondary.School, Vine lnternational, Virgo predicanda lnternational, and Excellent Montessori Secondary school.
“This is an approach where girls and boys can learn, play and collaborate in a more respectful and safe space for young women, while ensuring a safe, enjoyable and respectful digital environment. It also expose young women to cyberbullying, exclusion, sexist comments and online hate,” Mrs. Lacal said.
Earlier, a game developer Sophia Nei and her. team had engaged participants in an interactive session with the theme: “Can Video Games Be Safe Spaces For Girls?”
However, Mrs Nei and her team educated the girls on the benefits and violence on online digital gaming and urged them ( participants)to learn to say ‘No’ to Online hate, sexist and cyber bullying, while encouraging them(students) to stand up for themselves by reporting such issues to the appropriate authority.
Highlight of the competition was the awarding of prizes to winners by the Director of Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal.
