…says it has curbed foreign herders attack
Clement Nnachi, Abakaliki
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has expressed his support to the Federal Government for the closure of the Nation’s Borders with neighbouring countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Umahi made the assertion on Monday at Onueke Ezza South local Government Area while flagging off the 2019 Account Opening Week organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the south- east geo-political zone of the country.
He described the initiative of the CBN as commendable insisting that the state government would put modalities in place to ensure the success of the exercise.
Umahi said that there were designated Centers across the 13 local government areas where Account Opening would be carried out.
“All Dick and Harry from 18 years and above who have not registered with banks will do that in this Account Opening Exercise”
“I stand with Mr. President in closure of the Nation’s borders, our security challenges vis a vis foreign herdsmen slaughtering our people has reduced drastically.”
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“We support the Federal Government because our farmers are happy; we are not only given Nigeria quality/ genuine rice, we are also making money from rice production”
The State Chief Executive expressed dismay that a lot of poison in the name of foreign rice was being smuggled into the country through our borders.
He outlined the advantages of the border closure to include reduction in the smuggling of petroleum products stating “our country should not be a dumping ground for all manner of fake products.”
The Governor said that the government would do a memo to the CBN Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele, requesting that all Commercial Banks operating in the state open their branches in all the 13 local Government Areas of the state.
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Earlier in his speech, the Branch Controller of Central Bank of Nigeria, Abakaliki, Mr. Adayi Christopher, said that the Account Opening Week was an initiative of the Bankers Committee and Financial inclusion stakeholders aimed at achieving 8.3 million Accounts in 2019.
“In Ebonyi we are expected to open 47,000 and 50,000 new Accounts and Bank Verification Number (BVN) in 2019 and 2020 respectively”
The occasion had in attendance representatives of various banks operating in the state.
Highlights of the occasion was the massive opening of Accounts by several persons of 18 years and above including members of the Ebonyi State Executive Council, traditional rulers, market women, men, farmers, elderly leaders of Thought and stakeholders among others.
