Eminent businessman and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has faulted the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, over the false alarm he raised concerning a missing $49 billion from the coffers of the Federal Government.

Kalu, who spoke in London on Friday when he hosted select Nigerian and international businessmen, said that the alarm raised by Sanusi, which later turned out to be false, was capable of bringing the country’s economy to its knees.

A statement on Sunday by Kalu’s Special Adviser, Oyekunle Oyewumi, quoted Kalu as saying:“What the CBN governor said without verifying his facts is capable of grinding to a halt the economy of any nation”.

“It is capable of eroding investors’ confidence in the country. It is definitely a very wrong signal, especially coming from one of the topmost managers of the country’s economy,” he stated.

Kalu reemphasized that Nigeria remains an investors’ dream destination as the country offers all that is required to run successful and profitable businesses. He therefore encouraged his guests not to entertain any fear about investing in the country.

He said in the next 10 years, Nigeria will become one of the top 20 economies in the world if the tempo of development is sustained and investors’ confidence boosted.

In the bid to nip corruption in the bud, Kalu urged President Goodluck Jonathan to financially empower the country’s anti-corruption agencies.

He said the time had come for Nigeria to have a president who is acceptable to all and not just by zoning, adding that it is only then that Nigeria would have started its journey into nationhood.

Kalu expressed gratitude to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, and John Cardinal Onaiyekan for their continued peace initiatives. He also praised the Publisher of Thisday newspapers, Nduka Obaigbena, for setting up Arise TV, which is promoting the image of the country internationally and urged all media men and women to continue to speak the truth no matter the consequences.

He equally urged more Nigerians to invest in the media industry.

A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Mathias Onye, who preached a short sermon, urged the rich in Nigeria to always remember the poor as that is the essence of the birth of Jesus Christ. Onye also wants Nigeria’s leaders to transform the country.

The luncheon was attended by prominent Indian businessmen, Rajiv Indoja and Ashok Singa. Also in attendance were Dr. Emeka Okafor, Dr. Musa Idah, Barrister Yakubu Mohammed, Tunde Ashafa and Shola Arogun.

[url][/url]http://www.topix.com/forum/world/nigeria/THSUDPBQ5I2SNJQ5U

Indeed, Sanusi goofed

oow!