The coalition of civil society organisations, led by Transparency Advocacy for Development Initiative (TADI), has called on Nigerians to support the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to relocate some of its departments to Lagos.

The public relations officer of TADI, Taiwo Adeniran, made the call at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.

According to Mr Adeniran, the relocation of some CBN departments to Lagos for increased efficiency should be viewed as a policy matter rather than a subject of geographical controversy.

He said it was regrettable that, as a nation, we still found ourselves entangled in narrow-minded discussions that only served to generate divisive comments in the public domain.

Mr Adeniran said that to progress, we must collectively shift our focus away from such myopic concerns.

“If relocating some departments of CBN to Lagos proves beneficial to the system and the sector as a whole, we encourage the prompt implementation of such arrangements.

“The CBN operates within the confines of laws and policies, and its decisions should not be swayed by unfounded socio-political or geographical considerations regarding the location of its sensitive departments.

“We understand that the relocation is motivated by the necessity for these departments to be closer to the headquarters of most commercial banks for improved effectiveness, monitoring, and cost efficiency.

“Those orchestrating malicious attacks on the relocation are acting out of selfish interests and are often misinformed about the workings of the CBN.

“We urge every Nigerian to support the policies and initiatives put forth by the CBN’s management, free from political or socio-geographical divisions,’’ Mr Adeniran said.

He further explained that the current administration, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, was taking proactive measures to rectify past discrepancies.

He maintained that the leadership of the CBN was aligning its vision and mission with Mr Tinubu’s agenda and also working towards realising the renewed hope promised to Nigerians.

“Those leading these attacks have brought acrimony to the smooth relationship between the Northern and Southern Region of Nigeria.

“We implore them to prioritise the unity and progress of Nigeria over individual interests. The CBN is a vital institution, and its policies should be allowed to operate without interference,’’ Mr Adeniran stressed.

(NAN)