By Mustapha Sumaila
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it has commenced disinfecting its head office in Abuja and 37 branches across the country.
The bank’s Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr Isaac Okorafor, said this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.
Okorafor said the move followed management’s directive in line with advisory from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) that all government’s establishments should disinfect their offices as a preventive measure against the virus.
He also said that the CBN had instructed all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and other financial institutions operating in Nigeria to take adequate measures to disinfect their offices.
Okorafor reiterated the assurance by the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, that the bank in collaborating with the banking industry players, would ensure it mitigated the impact of coronavirus on the Nigerian economy.
He, however, urged Nigerians to follow stipulated guidelines by the Federal Ministry of Health, NCDC and other relevant health agencies of government to curb possible spread of the virus in Nigeria.
The disinfection exercise at the bank’s headquarters, being supervised by the the Director, Procurement and Support Services Department (PSSD), Mr Stanley Arinze, would be replicated in all the bank’s branches across the country.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bank had assured stakeholders and members of the Nigerian public that it would remain open for business during this period.