onstitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, on Wednesday criticised the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, for his comment that the Federal Government should sack half of its workforce.
Falana who spoke at the 100 years celebration of trade unionism organised by Working Class Association of Nigeria, WCA, at the University of Ibadan, described the statement as opportunistic.
The lawyer also condemned some economic policies Sanusi backed, querying why he was yet to speak on those who duped the country of billions on naira.
He said: “Apart from his membership of Jonathan economic team, Mr. Sanusi has teamed up with the other apostles of market fundamentalism to justify the removal of the so called fuel subsidy, retrenchment of workers, galloping inflation, the manipulation of the foreign exchange market and the dollarisation of the economy.”
“The main finding of the probes is that whereas N245 billion was appropriated in 2011 for fuel subsidy the Central Bank illegally paid out N2.3 trillion to the NNPC and other fuel importers on the recommendation of the Federal Ministries of Finance and Petroleum Resources.”
“Up till now, the lousy officials who committed such grave economic crimes have not been brought to book. In a very arrogant manner the indicted officials are trying to divert attention of Nigerians by making reckless statements on the state of the economy.”
The former president of West Africa Bar Association said: “Why call for reduction in workforce? In the face of mounting unemployment of young and able bodied citizens the retrenchment of workers by 50% should be resisted.”
“In any case, the wage bill of civil servants is not the problem of the economy but the gross mismanagement, corruption and capital flight perpetrated by a parasitic ruling class,” he said.
“The loquacious CBN governor is not condemning the allocation of such huge funds to service a few government officials.”
Falana also blasted the CBN Governor for using huge amount of money that could have boosted the economy to bail out troubled banks.
“No doubt Mr. Sanusi’s call is designed to cover up the unprecedented looting of the economy, not less than N3 trillion has been channeled to bail out banks which were run down by bank executives with the connivance of the corrupt inspectorate division of the CBN.”
“On its own part, the CBN has continued to distort the economy through the monthly conversion of revenue in dollars to Naira for payment of statutory allocations instead of the issuance of dollar certificates to the three tiers of Government,” he said.
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