Despite the nosediving value of Naira, the Governor Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele has been conferred with the Man of the Year 2021 Economy Award by New Telegraph.
Presenting the award to Mr. Emefiele at the New Telegraph Award Night, held in Lagos, the Governor of Lagos State , Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said Emefiele was indeed the Governor with a full balance sheet.
” He is the only Governor that does not need an election to be so addressed and it is an honour that the award is being passed unto him”, he added.
Receiving the award, on behalf of the CBN Governor, Dr. Kingsley Obiora, Deputy Governor, CBN expresses gratitude to the management of News Telegraph.
He said: “I would like to in honour of my boss, the Governor of CBN, express our deepest gratitude to the New Telegraph, the management, ownership, the editors and all those who found my boss worthy of this award.
“I think it will be an impetus for him and the team around him to continue to do the work for the betterment of the bank, the country and all Nigerians.”
Chairman Fidelity Bank, Mustapha Chike-Obi noted that the award was a recognition of what people have done for years.
He also pleaded to people in power to give room for youths and the private sector to thrive.
” Nigeria is a very promising country. We haven’t reached our potential but we will. You look at countries like China which we try to emulate. China has been around for over a thousand years. We are still a young country and we still make mistakes but if we all have a love for the country we will fix that.
“The only plea I have for those in power today is to let the young people and all the private sector thrive.
“Government is not going to save Nigeria but the government can impede the progress of young people. Let’s do things that enable our young people to progress. They are the saviour and future of this country.
“One of the things I ask people in Nigeria is how much of the money spent on capital projects every year comes from the government and how much comes from the private sector.
“The answer is that 90 per cent of capital projects are private sector driven and funded and yet we spend so much energy fighting over the ten percent that government controls. “
