The
Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN on Friday reacted to claims by the Senate that it
is selling dollars to some businesses at an unofficial rate of N200.
On Wednesday, the Senate in a resolution asked
the Federal Government to direct the CBN to supply dollars at a subsidised
exchange rate of N200 to intending pilgrims to either to Saudi Arabia or
Israel.
The resolution followed a motion by the former
governor of Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero, APC-Kebbi, requesting, as a matter of
urgency, concession to be granted as a policy every year to the pilgrims.
Mr. Aliero said his request followed confirmed
information he had that the apex bank was allocating foreign exchange to some
businesses at N200 to the dollar.
“The committee strongly recommends the
concession of N200 to $1 for 2017 Hajj, to bring down the cost to a bearable
level,” Mr. Aliero said. He did not name the businesses.
Based on the former governor’s submission, the
committee on foreign affairs, while submitting its report on alleged “Extortion
of Pilgrims” by the National Hajj Commission, adopted the recommendation.
But, the CBN in a response to enquiries by Premium
Times on Thursday, denied the allegations that it has been allocating FOREX to
any business at N200.
“It is not true,” CBN spokesperson, Isaac
Okorafor, said in a response to an SMS to him on Friday.
“We (CBN) are NOT selling FOREX to anyone at N200 to the
dollar. The lowest rate in the entire market is the inter-bank rate, which
ranges between N305 to N315,” he explained.
-Premium Times
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