CBN SACK OF BANK CEOs: MATTERS ARISING
Written By: Shafii Ndanusa, MBA, ACCA, FAAFM, MFP Based in Abuja. Nigeria.
The chicken has come home to roost. This is the common phrase heard from commentators following the recent bombshell from the Central Bank of Nigeria that led to the sacking of chief executive officers of five commercial banks. The banks were adjudged to be financially unhealthy. For a while, the Nigerian banking and finance industry has been awash with rumors of ill-health, unfair de-marketing practices and the need to comprehensively sanitize the system.
While some informed commentators have argued that it is a welcome development that has long been overdue, it is my modest opinion that perhaps there are more equally serious issues to deal with beyond the change of guards at the top of these institutions. It is the single bold step that signifies that proactive risk management has taken centre stage in the Nigerian banking industry.
First and foremost, the action confirms in clear terms that the stories about the liquidity crises faced by certain banks have been true. If out of ten (10) banks examined so far, five (5) had to receive the sledgehammer, then we have a serious problem at hand as this represents fifty per cent (50%) of the sample size covered. What happens when the examination of the remaining fourteen (14) banks is concluded?
One can only imagine the run down the industry will face following these revelations. The assurance of the CBN Governor that no bank will be allowed to fail, is a strong reassuring measure. However, when it comes to money matters, I am certain that the average individual will not want to take chances.
Another worrisome development is the major reason advanced by the CBN as basis of the sack which may be summarized as poor corporate governance practices. In a nutshell, the global financial crisis has just succeeded in exposing the very poor corporate governance practices in our banking industry. I wish to state categorically that no institution anywhere in the world, with or without a financial crisis can survive for long with poor corporate governance practices. Poor corporate governance is reflected in weaknesses in internal controls hence the assets of institutions are not safe from abuse. And once the safety of depositor and shareholder fund is jeopardized, any system no matter how large and attractive it may look can eventually collapse.
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