The Senate on Tuesday at the plenary passed for second reading a bill to amend the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act.

Leading debate on the bill’s general principles, its sponsor, Sadiq Umar (APC-Kwara), said the bill was to enable the appointment of a person other than the governor as chairman of the CBN board.

He said the bill was also designed to divest the board’s powers on determining and fixing the salaries and allowances of its members.

According to him, the bill, if passed, will be used to determine the consideration and approval of the annual budget of the CBN.

Mr Suleiman said the envisaged new chairman of the proposed board of the CBN would have powers to determine salaries and allowances of members while the governor focuses on administrative duties of the bank.

In her contribution, Betty Apiafi (PDP-Rivers) called for a holistic amendment of the CBN Act, adding that the CBN governor went out of his way to indicate interest in participating in politics while in office.

She said the development was not the trend in the world, given that election materials were kept in CBN.

Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA-Abia), James Manager (PDP-Delta), and Orji-Kalu (APC-Abia) kicked against the hasty amendments to the bill, while Barau Jubril (APC-Kano) supported the bill in his submission.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, however, cautioned senators to focus on the proposed amendment rather than deliberating on the alleged attempt by the CBN governor to contest it as that was not part of the general principles of the bill.

Mr Lawan, thereafter, put the passing of the bill for a second reading to a voice vote, and senators voted unanimously for its passage.

(NAN)