IN a bid to mobilise Nigerians to embrace the recently introduced e-payment system, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Friday, held a stakeholders' forum with accounts/fund managers drawn from all the five states as well as the local government areas of the South East zone.The forum, which took place at the Golden Royale Hotel, Enugu State, attracted major stakeholders in the implementation of the e-payment eco-system, as well as officials of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Federal Inland Revenue Services, among others.Speaking at the forum, the Acting Director, Banking and Payment Services System Department of the CBN, G. I. Emokpare said the purpose of the forum was enlighten participants as important public sector players, on the approved guidelines on the operation of the e-payment system, and to seek their support and buy-in so as to ensure successful implementation and adoption.Emokpare, who was represented by a Deputy Director of the CBN, C. R. Okafor, said other objectives of the forum was to present the approved Guidelines on electronic payments of government suppliers, all forms of taxes in Nigeria; and salary and pension to the stakeholders as part of the overall implementation strategy.He also said they planned to give participants the opportunity to clarify issues for better understanding where necessary to ensure successful implementation; to sensitise the stakeholders about their thoughts on the new guidelines; and to as well as receive feedbacks from participants.'As you are aware, the Central Bank has been in the fore front in promoting e-payments in the country. In this regard, the Bank recently released three important frameworks on electronic payments to guide both the public and private sector Stakeholders.'They include: guidelines on electronic payments of Govt. Suppliers in Nigeria; guidelines on electronic payments of all forms of taxes in Nigeria; and guidelines on electronic payments of salary and pension in Nigeria,' he stated.He said the successful implementation of the guidelines will greatly impact on the overall adoption and usage of electronic medium of payments and settlements in Nigeria and therefore tasked participants to ensure they discharged their responsibilities efficiently in order to ensure that the core objective of the Payments System Vision2020, which is to ensure a National Payments System that is 'nationally utilised, and internationally recognised' is put in place in the country.Also explaining further on the e-payment system, other offcials of the CBN including Ms Eunice King, Head of ABC, NIBSS, Alhaji Abubakar Kure, Assistant director, Olu Adaremewa deputy director and Sam Okojere, the Assistant Director, Project Assurance enjoined participants to ensure they played vital part in ensuring the success of the e-payment system.
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