Business News
Gwarzogate is not over yet
@icpc_pe has indicated its intentions to appeal a judgment exonerating suspended SEC DG Mounir Gwarzo.
Suspended Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission Mounir Gwarzo’s battle to regain his position has some way to go.
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has indicated its intentions to appeal a judgment j which cleared Gwarzo and Zakawanu Garba of all charges.
The commission disclosed this in a statement posted on its website.
ICPC is dissatisfied with the judgment on the grounds that the Board resolution the trial judge relied on did not decide severance benefit but retirement and resignation benefit. The Notice of Appeal will be filed very soon.
The judgment
The court in a judgment granted this week upheld the No Case Submission of the defendants on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to prove the elements of the offence in that the Board of SEC was the highest authority in SEC and had by resolution approved the severance benefit and the car grant.
Furthermore, the duo were discharged and acquited of all charges.
How it all began
Mounir Gwarzo was suspended by Kemi Adeosun in November 2017 for alleged financial impropriety.
The allegations
Gwarzo is accused of collecting a severance package of a N104 million, despite advice from SEC’s legal department not to do so, since he was still in the employ of the commission. Prior to his appointment as Director-General of the commission in 2015, Gwarzo was an Executive Director.
The acting head of the legal department had objected to the offer since severance packages were meant for officials who have disengaged from an organization.
The Director-General was also accused of awarding contracts to companies controlled by wife and brother.
What happened next?
An Administrative Panel of Inquiry set up to look into the allegations leveled against the suspended Director-General revealed financial misappropriation and abuse of office.
Gwarzo, however, claimed he was suspended and being witch-hunted for refusing to halt the forensic audit conducted into the affairs of Oando Plc.
Kemi Adeosun insisted that Gwarzo’s suspension was a result of allegations of his misconduct, and was in order to protect the sanctity of the capital market.
Business News
IMF advises banks to suspend dividend payment
However, halting dividend payments may not go down well for many retail and institutional investors, who rely on bank dividends for regular income.
In an article published on its website, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, advised banks to halt dividend payment for now. According to her, with the expectation of a deep recession in 2020 and partial recovery in 2021, banks’ resilience will be tested. Therefore, having in place strong capital and liquidity positions to support fresh credit will be essential.
According to the article, one of the steps needed to reinforce bank buffers is retaining earnings from ongoing operations which are not insignificant.
IMF staff calculate that the 30 global systemically important banks distributed about US$250bn in dividends and share buybacks last year.
READ MORE: State Governments: Another cycle of non-payment of salaries to begin soon
In a circular dated January 31, 2018, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stipulated new conditions for eligibility of Nigerian banks to pay dividend and the quantum of dividend to be paid out by banks who are eligible. Prior to the release of the circular, dividend payout policy for Nigerian banks had been spelt out in Section 16(1) of BOFIA 2004 (as amended) and Prudential Guidelines for DMBs of 2010. The circular provided guidelines and restrictions around divdidend payout for banks based on NPL ratio, CRR levels, and Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR).
However, there were no regulatory restriction on dividend payout for banks that meet the minimum capital adequacy ratio, have a CRR of “low” or “moderate” and an NPL ratio of not more than 5%. However, it is expected that the Board of such institutions will recommend payouts based on effective risk assessment and economic realities. Indeed, current economic realities demand caution.
Current economic realities mean that banks face asset quality threats, further devaluation threat which may impact capital in some cases, and lower profits which in turn affects the quantum of capital retained. Ideally, these should reflect in NPL ratio and CAR ratio and should immediately restrict banks’ ability to pay dividend. However, there is usually a time lag before these ratios begin to reflect the new economic realities. Therefore, IMF’s advise may come in handy for many banks.
(READ MORE: Software security limitations cited as major reason for Covid-19 bank rush)
That said, halting dividend payments may not go down well for many retail and institutional investors, who rely on bank dividends for regular income. Banks like Zenith and Guaranty Trust have a good history of consistent dividend payment with attractive yields which is a major attraction for many shareholders.
CSL STOCKBROKERS LIMITED CSL Stockbrokers,
Member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange,
First City Plaza, 44 Marina,
PO Box 9117,
Lagos State,
NIGERIA.
Economy & Politics
CBN reduces MPR to 12.50%, holds other metrics
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reduced the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 13.50% to 12.50% and retains CRR at 27.5%, Liquidity ratio at 30%.
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reduced the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 13.50% to 12.50%.
Governor, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, disclosed this while reading the communique at the end of the MPC meeting on Thursday in Abuja. Meanwhile, other parameters such as the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) remained at 27.5%, Liquidity ratio at 30%.
Highlights of the Committee’s decision
- MPC cuts MPR by 100 basis points to 12.50%
- CRR stood at 27.5%
- The Liquidity Ratio was also kept at 30%
CBN MPC cuts policy rate by 100 basis points to 12.5 %, maintains other parameters constant.
— Central Bank of Nigeria (@cenbank) May 28, 2020
According to Emefiele, the decision of the MPC to reduce the Monetary Policy Rate was informed by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy, increased inflationary pressure, restrictions in international trade and more.
He highlighted the decline in the nation’s GDP as well as the decline in the manufacturing and non-manufacturing purchasing index which were attributable to slower growth in production, rate of unemployment, amongst others.
Economy & Politics
Just in: Buhari seeks approval from green chamber to borrow fresh $5.5billion
FG also seek approval for the revised 2020-2022 mid-term expenditure framework (MTEF) which became necessary as a result of the crash in crude oil prices and the cut in the production output.
President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking the approval of the House of Representatives to borrow fund to finance capital projects at the federal and state (to support state governors) levels in the 2020 budget.
This request was disclosed via the official twitter handle of the House of Representatives.
The president’s letter, which indicated that the fund would be sourced locally and internationally, was read on the floor of the House of Representatives by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, during plenary on Thursday, May 28, 2020.
In the letter to the lower chamber, Buhari, is also seeking the approval for the revised 2020-2022 mid-term expenditure framework (MTEF) which became necessary as a result of the crash in crude oil prices and the cut in the production output.
Although the tweet did not contain the total amount of loan that is being requested, reports suggests that the President is seeking approval to borrow the sum of $5.513 billion from external sources to finance 2020 budget deficit and support state governments to meet challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
President @Mbuhari is also seeking the House approval to borrow locally & internationally to finance capital projects as well as finance projects to support state governors in the 2020 budget
The letter was referred to the House Committee on loans & debt management. #HousePlenary— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) May 28, 2020
Details shortly…
Mike
April 18, 2019 at 12:54 pm
Both Kemi and Gwarzo are right. If Gwarzo had agreed and stopped the forensic audit into the affairs of Oando Plc, Kemi would have overlooked his financial recklessness. Scratch my back and I scratch your back theory/ those who leave in glass house don’t throw stones!
Humphrey Onaburekhan
May 20, 2019 at 2:24 pm
Did Gwarzo actually collected severance while still in the employment of SEC? If so, he better face the consequences of his action.