|
New Page 11
CBN, bankers agree on reforms
KENETH MADUEKE
CENTRAL Bank
of Nigeria (CBN) with other bank regulators and operators yesterday restated
total commitment to orderly and quick completion of recapitalisation and
consolidation in the industry.
CBN Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, who
said this during a media forum in Lagos hinted that a three-day retreat with
bank chiefs and directors had been scheduled for Abuja to finetune the
implementation of the reform package.
According to him, the interactive forum,
expected to hold from September, 17 to 19, will afford both the banking
regulators and operators an opportunity to brain storm on relevant issues
involved in the consolidation process and how to make it work.
He admitted that the challenges being
posed by what is today seen as banking revolution is enormous but solicited
co-operation from all stakeholders including the mass media to ensure hitch-free
banking system reform.
Prof. Soludo who said that the retreat was
demand-driven and not planned to force any marriage between banks, however,
noted that the CBN has no prejudice against family banks, adding that in
advanced economics, most of today’s conglomerates started off as family
businesses.
He said in the implementation of CBN’s
consolidation agenda, the issue of family banks will rather "be treated on case
to case basis."
The governor insisted that ownership
structure needs to be diversified as that has always affected the implementation
of corporate governance ...
"We need to look into the track records of
these family banks to ascertain their ability to manage banks so as to avoid
systemic crisis," Soludo added.
He said the way the current reform is
packaged gives a second final chance to those ailing banks to choose to remain
alive or dead.
According to him, the CBN was happy to
learn that three of the technically dead banks have already gotten banks that
are willing to acquire them and that was a cheering news.
Today, there is no big bank in the country
relative to the size of the economy moreso as no Nigerian bank currently is
amongst top 1,000 banks in the world, he stated.
Speaking on the occasion, National Deposit
Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr.
Ganiyu Ogunleye, disagreed that the on-going consolidation effort prompted
certain banks’ in ability to meet obligations to their customers.
According to him, such failing bank’s were
already sick and unsound as well as suffering illiquidity problems before the
reform.
But, according to the President of the
Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mr Samuel Kolawole, who spoke
on behalf of banks re-affirmed the institute’s resolve on recapitalisation and
consolidation as the panacea of ills of Nigeria’s economy.
He assured that CIBN decided to work
together with CBN as a body to save the banking industry and the whole economy
from avoidable collapse.
Daily Champion
noted that yesterday’s brand-based interactive session was attended by more than
10 bank chief executives including Mr Jim Ovia (Zenith Bank), Mr. Tony Elumelu
(Standard Trust Bank), Mr Tayo Aderinkun (Guaranty Trust Bank), Mr Reginald
Ihejiahi (Fidelity Bank) and Mr Mike Chukwu (Guardian Express Bank).
Other bank Managing Directors/Chief Executives in
attendance were Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede (Access Bank), Mr Tony Phido (Citizens
Bank), Mrs Funke Osibodu (Ecobank), Mr Ben Akabueze (NAL Bank) Mr Darlyton (Bon
Bank) as well as bank CEO of Intercity Bank.
|
