At least 1500 members of staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria will on Friday resume at its Lagos office following their redeployment from the headquarters in Abuja..
The apex bank insisted that the relocation of some departments from Abuja to Lagos State would improve efficiency and save costs.
This was stated in a press statement issued by Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation on Sunday, urging Nigerians to disregard any narratives stating that the decision was taken for political reasons and to favour a particular region over others.
Some northerners and groups have criticised the move, describing it as a ploy to weaken the Northern region.
A source at the apex bank said that the plan was still in motion, and the affected staffers would be resuming on Friday.
“Yes, the plan is still on and they will resume work by February 2, which is the first week of next month,” an official said.
The latest development comes on the backdrop of the decision of the new management to relocate some of CBN’s departments to the country’s economic hub for staff safety, increased productivity, and to decongest its head office.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Monday kicked against President Tinubu’s approval for the relocation of the headquarters of the FAAN and some CBN departments from Abuja to Lagos.
The national publicity secretary of the forum, Prof. Muhammad Baba, described the move as a deliberate plot against the Northern region.
Meanwhile, the CBN said the action was necessitated by several factors, including the need to align the bank’s structure with its functions and objectives and redistribute skills to ensure a more even geographical spread of talent.
It added that it was also in compliance with building regulations, as indicated by repeated warnings from the facility manager, and the findings and recommendations of the Committee on Decongestion of the CBN Head Office.
A memo issued to staff read, “This is to notify all staff members at the CBN Head Office that we have initiated a decongestion action plan designed to optimise the operational environment of the Bank.
“This initiative aims to ensure compliance with building safety standards and enhance the efficient utilisation of our office space.”
According to reports, the departments penciled down for relocation by the CBN governor Yemi Cardoso include Banking Supervision, Other Financial Institutions Supervision, Consumer Protection Department, Payment System Management Department, and Financial Policy Regulations Department
