Bismarck Rewane, chief executive officer of Financial
Derivatives Company, says Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s comment on the ban of
cryptocurrency boosted his respect for him.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had recently directed
banks and other financial institutions to close accounts of persons or entities
involved in cryptocurrency transactions.
The apex bank had said cryptocurrencies pose the risk of
loss of investment, money laundering, terrorism financing, illicit fund flows
and other criminal activities.
But Osinbajo had urged the CBN and the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) to come up with robust regulations for
cryptocurrencies.
Delivering a paper at a public lecture organised by a
pan-Nigerian coalition, Building the Future Forum (BTFF), in Abuja, Rewane said
Osinbajo’s remarks pleased him.
The event was organised in celebration of Osinbajo’s 64th
birthday on Monday.
Rewane said Nigeria needs people like Osinbajo to promote
policies that will allow the private sector thrive. He commended the
vice-president for his efforts in improving the conduct of businesses in
Nigeria.
“We need people in public life who have candor like Prof
Osinbajo and more than anything else, we need people like him who can make the
private sector feel at ease in the policy-making community. Once again, happy
birthday to a leader of the people, societies, and enterprises,” he said.
“His recent remarks on the prohibition of cryptocurrencies
in which he said that we must not regulate out of fear but with knowledge, was
another defining moment in my respect for a mind that comes across without
ruffling feathers but clearly and distinctly about the honest and efficient
truth. I remember once again how under his stewardship, the adoption of the
I&E window, which was a major achievement in stabilising the naira at a
time of turbulence in the 2016-17 recession.
“Nigeria today has made remarkable achievements in the ease
of doing business matrix. Nigeria is the leading country according to the
Economist Pocket Book of Figures with 39.9% of its citizens either as nascent
or direct entrepreneurs.
“I interacted with the celebrant in 2016 and 2017 when he
called for presentations to the Economic Management Team (EMT). We consulted with
his team in finalising the minimum wage study in 2019, in what was an
impossible deadline, which we met miraculously.
“I have also watched closely the various interventions in
removing bottlenecks in the way of businesses in Nigeria with the Presidential
Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) initiatives.”
Osinbajo, who attended the event virtually, said he was
honoured to have been celebrated.
The event was attended by Babatunde Fashola, minister of
works and housing; Rauf Aregbesola, minister of internal affairs; Kayode
Fayemi, governor of Ekiti; among others.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com