Business
CBN Board Competent To Approve Its Budget – Expert
The Board of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has legal authority to approve its budget, Mr Okwu Joseph-Nnanna, former Director-General, West Africa Monetary Institute (WAMI), Accra-Ghana, has said.
Joseph-Nnanna said this on Wednesday in Akure at the ongoing 17th Seminar for Finance Correspondents and Business Editors.
“It is not true that CBN refuses to send its budget to the National Assembly, the question is when does it send out budget and what is the purpose of sending it?
“CBN board has the legal authority to approve its budget, but the advocates, who want to change the CBN Act, 2007, said that power should be given to the National Assembly.”
Joseph-Nnanna said this should not be approved, adding that CBN budget should not be politicised.
“Once the CBN starts sending its budget to the National Assembly for approval, then, we should be ready to leave Nigeria.”
The former WAMI Director General said the inherent danger in the proposed amendment of the CBN Act would affect the operations of the bank and the economy.
Joseph-Nnanna said the apex bank’s budget presently sent through the Ministry of Finance to the National Assembly was in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
“Rational economic model will not provide full satisfactory answer to the rhetorical question as to whether a legislative approval of the CBN annual budget is necessary a priority.
“Rather, we need to dig deep into the realm of political economy for the answer to this question.”