KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress lawmaker Deepak Giri has accused the government of prioritizing the “musical chair” of appointing the governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, while the country remains mired in confusion and indecision.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Giri remarked that despite the nation grappling with various unresolved issues, the government seems preoccupied with the appointment of the central bank’s governor.
He pointed out that more than two months have passed since the previous governor, Maha Prasad Adhikari, formally left office, yet no new appointment has been made.
Adhikari, who had assumed office on April 6, 2020, retired on April 5 this year.
Disagreements reportedly arose within the ruling coalition—comprising the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML—regarding who should be appointed as the next governor and when the appointment should be made.
“The policies and programs have been endorsed by a majority, yet the government remains stuck in the governor appointment debate,” Giri said during his address. “There is confusion about whether the cooling-off period is two years or three years.”
He also criticized the federal government for not delegating sufficient authority to the provinces, noting that provincial governments are expressing frustration over the lack of autonomy.
Referring to the recent teachers’ protest, he questioned whether their concerns had genuinely been resolved, remarking, “Teachers have returned, but are they truly satisfied?”
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