Emefiele Urges Banks to Raise Agric Lending to 10% FG promises strong economic recovery amidst COVID-19 James Emejo, Folalumi Alaran in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, yesterday
tasked the banking sector to consider an increase in the percentage of loans to the agriculture sector from the current four per cent to 10 per cent by 2024. This is coming as the
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, yesterday expressed confidence that the Nigerian economy "will bounce back strongly within the near term with the right
policy responses to the multidimensional crises" caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking yesterday at the opening ceremony of the 13th Annual Banking and
Finance Conference, themed: “Facilitating a Sustainable Future: the Role of Banking and Finance,” which was organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Abuja, Emefiele
also disclosed that the sum of N69 billion had so far been disbursed to over N140,000 beneficiaries from the N100 billion CBN COVID-19 support Continued on page 10
Soyinka Backs Obasanjo, Says Nigeria Divided under Buhari...Page 5 Wednesday 16 September, 2020 Vol 25. No 9290. Price: N250
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Dousing Tension, Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu, Others Commit to Peaceful Election Tinubu urges electorate to reject Edo gov We will win, Atiku, PDP reply Chuks Okocha in Abuja, Peter Uzoho in Lagos and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Ahead of the September 19 governorship election in Edo State, all the political parties and their candidates, particularly the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Godwin Obaseki, and the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, yesterday signed a peace accord to ensure peaceful conduct before, during and after the election. The peace deal signed in Benin City, Edo State capital, which seeks to douse the rising pre-election tension was brokered by the Nigeria Peace Committee (NPC), led by a former Head of State, Gen. Continued on page 9
Buhari: I Borrow to Fix Infrastructure, Attract Investments Advisory council lists measures to lift 100m from poverty Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja For the first time yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari defended borrowing by his administration, saying he borrows to fix roads, rail and attract investments. Speaking at a virtual meeting with members of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), Buhari said his government was borrowing money in the interest of the country
to address the infrastructure deficit. After the meeting, the council listed steps the government needs to take in its vision to lift 100 million Nigerians from poverty. The council Chairman, Professor Doyin Salami, while speaking on behalf of his colleagues, said they would come up with a policy paper to assist the government in Continued on page 10
THE CONVERSATION...ON ARISE NEWS, MORNING SHOW Edo State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (left), and his All Progressives Congress counterpart, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, feature on ARISE NEWS Channel’s The Morning Show…today
FG, Labour Talks on Petrol Price Rise End in Stalemate...Page 5