CBN RUBBISHES REPORT ON SANUSI’S ALLEGED GIRLFRIEND •SAYS “DR. MARYAM YARO IS NOT, AND HAS NEVER BEEN AN EMPLOYEE OF CBN”

Contrary to a report making the rounds since Sunday, veterinary
expert Dr. Maryam Yaro was neither employed by Central Bank of Nigeria
Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, nor is she an employee of the bank.

CBN Director, Corporate Communications, Ugochukwu A. Okoroafor,
made the clarification in a letter faulting a report by the online newspaper Premium
Times, which claimed that Dr. Maryam Yaro is Sanusi’s girlfriend
and was employed by the CBN Governor because of their alleged romantic
relationship.  READ IT HERE

But citing Governor Sanusi’s “usual practice of not responding
to libelous comments on his person,” the CBN chose not to respond to Premium
Times’ allegation of a romantic relationship between Sanusi and
Maryam. Even so, the apex bank noted that the said allegations “are consistent
with previous attacks” on Sanusi’s person by the paper.

Below is the text of the letter, a copy of which is in
possession of News Express:

“Our attention has been drawn to the libelous story posted on
your website on 2nd June,
2013, on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and which has now
been circulated by other online websites and blogging groups.

“The post was full of fabrication and inaccuracies. Ordinarily
this would have been best ignored. We are however constrained to write to you
on account of the severe implications of the allegations for the integrity of
the CBN, as an institution.

“It is also important to reaffirm our long-standing commitment
to due process and international best practice in the discharge of every aspect
of our statutory mandate.

“We wish to state that CBN is an equal opportunity employer,
which prides itself with having female members of staff that possess the
highest qualifications, competencies and skills. It is rather reprehensible for
anyone to cast such aspersions on the qualifications and integrity of our
female staff.

“In the publication, you made the following false allegations:

“That Dr. Maryam Yaro is a staff of the CBN at the level of
Assistant Director and that she was recruited without due process, as she was
not qualified for the role.

“That the CBN Governor introduced Dr. Yaro to the CBN and
exerted pressure on the Human Resources Department to recruit her.

“We wish to state the fact as follows:

“Dr. Maryam Yaro is not, and has never been an employee of the
Central Bank of Nigeria. She was one of four consultants (three of whom were
male), hired by the Nigeria Incentive-based Risk-sharing System for
Agricultural Lending  (NIRSAL) Plc; on a one year contract, renewable on
the basis of satisfactory performance. NIRSAL Plc is a special purpose vehicle
(SPV) set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria, through a partnership
between the CBN and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
(FMARD).

“In the course of establishing NIRSAL, the Hon. Minister of
State for Agriculture and Rural Development, through a formal letter,
recommended Dr. Yaro to participate in the project as a Specialist on Rural
Finance Access.

“Dr. Yaro was hired after a rigorous selection process conducted
by the NIRSAL Project Implementation Office. This clearly contradicts the claim
that Dr. Yaro was brought in by the CBN Governor.

“Contrary to allegation that the Governor expedited recruitment
of Dr. Yaro, the PIO’s recommendation to hire her as a Consultant was written
on March 30, 2012 but only received final approval on June 20, 2012. 

“It is pertinent to add that Dr. Yaro’s academic qualifications
and experience eminently qualify her for the job. She is a Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine (DVM), who speaks three Nigerian languages, and has extensive
experience working with farmers across the country on different agricultural
programmes. She has also been a consultant to the Food and Agricultural
Organization (FAO); and was one of the experts working in the National
Programme on Food Security before she was engaged by NIRSAL.

“Please find attached, the relevant documents in support of the
facts stated above and we hope you will give this the same publicity you gave
your initial story.

“We have noted that the other allegations in the post border on
the person of the CBN Governor and are consistent with previous attacks. In
line with the Governor’s usual practice of not responding to these libelous
comments on his person, we have decided not to respond.

“The CBN shall remain resolute in the pursuit of its statutory
mandates regardless of any attempt to distract the institution or its
officers.”