The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) today approved the extension of the registration of Biometric Verification Number (BVN) for men and officers of the Nigeria Armed Forces, to enable them access their salaries.
Alhaji Suleiman Barau, Deputy Governor Operations of the APEX Bank gave this disclosure to the Senate Committee on Appropriation when it appeared before it in Abuja.
Minister of Defence, Dan Ali Mohammed had requested that the CBN should extend the exercise in this regard.
Barau, who came along with other relevant stakeholders concerned with the proposed N465bn Supplementary Budget stated that the bank understood the plight of the military operatives.
Earlier, the Minister of Defense, Dan Ali Mohammed had pleaded with the Senate Committee to intervene and direct that BVN registration for military operatives especially in the war front be extended.
He stated that the soldiers and their families were going through a hard time as they could not access their salaries due to the lapse of the deadline for BVN registration.
Dan-Ali stated that the soldiers could not abandon their duty at the war front to go for the registration and they should not be further punished by being denied access to their accounts.
“Our soldiers in the field cannot access their money because of the BVN. Our soldiers should be given extension so that they and their family can access their salary.
“We need to appeal to the CBN governor if that can be done as it will enhance the morale of our soldiers,” he stated.
The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Danjuma Goje also corroborated the request of the Minister of Defense seeking a special extension for the military.