Some staff members of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), have been directed to stay at home amid the spread of the novel Coronavirus.
In a statement obtained by Nairametrics, the apex bank disclosed that although it’s not shutting its doors to business, only selective staff members would report to work daily.
The statement read: “As a responsible public institution and regulator, we have triggered our business continuity plans to ensure that the Bank’s operations remain largely undisrupted at this present time when social distancing has become key to checking further spread of the virus. We have also directed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and other financial institutions to do same.
“The welfare and safety of our staff and their families, and indeed all Nigerians, remain top priority to us. Consequently, with effect from Wednesday, March 25, 2020, till further notice, only essential staff of the CBN Head Office and the 37 Branches of the Bank will be expected to report for duty daily. In other words, our staff in non-critical roles have been directed to stay at home and work remotely, when their services are required.”
#CBN To Remain Operational While COVID-19 Lastshttps://t.co/cclrBHVsXU #COVID19
— Central Bank of Nigeria (@cenbank) March 25, 2020
[READ MORE: CBN issues guidelines to access N50 billion COVID-19 credit facility)
The CBN further directed all its staff to follow stipulated guidelines by the Federal Ministry of Health, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and other relevant health agencies of government to curb the possible spread of the virus in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, as Nairametrics earlier reported, the CBN has disclosed the guidelines that must be followed by individuals and companies to access the N50 billion targeted credit facility for households and Small and Medium Enterprises that are badly hit by COVID-19.
The CBN explained that those that can benefit from the fund are households with verifiable evidence of livelihood adversely impacted by COVID-19; existing enterprises with verifiable evidence of business activities adversely affected as a result of the pandemic and enterprises with bankable plans to take advantage of opportunities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of active cases of the coronavirus pandemic had surged to 51 in the late hours of Wednesday, March 25, 2020.