Although Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, could pass as one of the most cerebral professional bankers to have presided over the affairs of the nation’s apex bank, he is also undoubtedly the most controversial of all the governors.
Right from his screening at the hallowed chambers of the Senate on June 4, 2009, Sanusi did not leave anyone in doubt as to his position on key economic matters, even when they involve his employers.
However, those primed to reading meanings to such positions would readily note that the first indication that Sanusi would run into trouble with the Presidency was when, during his screening by the Senate, the erudite banker faulted President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s Seven-Point Agenda, saying it was ambiguous and unwieldy.
While no one could tell what the late president’s reaction would have been against such affront if he were alive to see the governor serve his term, many believe that most of the presidential aides at Aso Rock did not find such criticisms funny and may have counted it against him.
Not long after that, the CBN boss walked himself into fresh mesh of controversy with the implementation of the banking reform programme of 2009 when five bank chief executives were relieved of their jobs over alleged fraud and mismanagement of depositor’s funds.
The five banks, whose bosses were sacked, included Intercontinental Bank Plc, Oceanic Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Finbank Plc and Bank PHB Plc.
Following their sack and dissolution of their boards and managements, the apex bank injected an estimated N670billion to recapitalize the affected banks while constituting an interim management board to oversee their affairs. According to the CBN boss, the injection of the bailout fund meant that shareholders in the affected institutions had also lost their investments in them. Sanusi’s position on loss of investment further drew the wrath of some of the banks’ directors and shareholders who resorted to courts to stop him.
But undaunted by the flurry of litigations, the Fulani prince went ahead to arrange another bailout for Afribank, Equatorial Trust Bank and Spring Bank after results of another stress test conducted by the CBN and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) revealed huge gaps in their key financial indicators.
Meanwhile, as part of measures to clean up the balance sheet of banks, the CBN under Sanusi, also set up the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, with the aim of buying up toxic and non-performing assets of the banks.
The effect of these initiatives landed the apex bank governor in more troubles as various stakeholders who felt injured by his actions headed to court to seek redress.
It was also obvious from the turn of events that some of the operators and stakeholders, including very powerful and influential elements in the banking industry, were not happy with Sanusi who had introduced sweeping measures that made most of them spectators in their own game.
One of such measures was the pegging of the tenure of bank chief executives to a maximum of 10 years and the introduction of the Holding Company structure intended to check fraudulent financial transactions between banks and their subsidiaries.
Part of the issues that his former colleagues have against him is the uniform accounting year for all financial services providers. The embattled CBN boss, described as a core risk manager, had floated the idea to check a tradition whereby illiquid institutions borrowed money from others to be able to meet statutory requirements of regulators in a particular month only to move the money back immediately after examination of their books by the latter.
It was under the suspended CBN boss that the Federal Intervention Fund was extended to several strategic sectors, including aviation, textile and garments, agriculture, National Automotive Council and a couple of others.
But while all these efforts were going on, some stakeholders believed due process was not followed by the CBN under Sanusi.
According to the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria whose report nailed Sanusi, the governor’s recklessness was unbridled, as it alleged that he breached corporate governance principles for which he had sacked five bank chiefs in 2009.
The FRC report reads in part: The particulars of the infractions against Sanusi are:
1 Persistent refusal and/or negligence to comply with the Public Procurement Act in the procurement practices of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
(A) By virtue of Section 15 (1)(a) of the Public Procurement Act, the provisions of the Act are expected to comply with ‘all procurement of goods, works and services carried out by the Federal Government of Nigeria and all procurement entities.’ This definition clearly includes the Central Bank of Nigeria.
(B) It is, however, regrettable that the Central Bank of Nigeria, under his leadership, has refused and/or neglected to comply with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act (PPA). You will recall that one of the primary reasons for the enactment of the PPA was the need to promote transparency, competitiveness, cost of effectiveness and professionalism in the public sector procurement system.
(C) Available information indicates that the Central Bank has over the years engaged in procurement of goods, works and services worth billions of Naira each year without complying with the express provisions of the PPA.
(D) By deliberately refusing to be bound by the provisions of the Act, the CBN has not only decided to act in an unlawful manner, but has also persisted in promoting a governance regime characterised by financial recklessness, waste and impunity, as demonstrated by the contents of its 2012 Financial Statements.
Unlawful expenditure by the Central Bank of Nigeria on ‘Intervention Projects’ across the country
(A) The unacceptable level of financial recklessness displayed by the leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria is typified by the execution of ‘Intervention Projects’ across the country. From available information, the bank has either executed or is currently executing about 63 such projects across the country and has committed over N163billion on them.
(B) It is inexcusable and patently unlawful for any agency of government to deploy huge sums of money as the CBN has done in this case, without appropriation and outside CBN’s statutory mandate. It is trite that the expenditure of public funds by any organ of government must be based on clear legal mandates, prudent costing and overriding national interest.
Financial infractions and acts of financial recklessness committed by the Central Bank as reflected in its audited financial statements of 2012
(A) Pursuant to Section 50 of the CBN Act 2007, a copy of the audited financial statements of the CBN for the year ended 31st December 2012 was sent to Mr. President. Based on the issues raised in the financial statement, a reaction was requested from you to enable a proper appreciation of the nation’s economic outlook.
(B) The response to this query was further referred to the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria. The review by the council, rather than allay the fears of government, further confirmed concern bout the untidy manner in which you have generally conducted the operations of the CBN.
Some of the salient observations arising from the review are;
(A) In a most ironical manner, it has become obvious that the CBN is not able to prepare its financial statements using applicable International Financial Reporting Standards (IFFS) whereas Deposit Money Banks that the CBN is supervising have complied with this national requirement since 2012.
Undoubtedly, this laxity on the part of our apex bank, apart from calling to question its capacity for proper corporate governance, is capable of sending wrong signals to both domestic and international investors on the state of the Nigerian economy.
(B) The provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the CBN and other Deposit Money Banks on Banking Resolution Sinking Fund have been breached in a material manner. For example, a Board of Trustees (BOT) to manage the Fund has not been constituted since 2010 when it was established. The CBN has, however, continued to utilise the Fund for certain operations without approval of the said BOT.
(C) Contrary to section 34 (b) of the CBN Act 2007 which provides that the CBN shall not, except as provided in Section 31 of the Act, inter alia, purchase the shares of any corporation of company, unless an entity set up by the approval or authority of the Federal Government, CBN in 2010, acquired 7% shares of International Islamic Management Corporation of Malaysia to the tune of N0.743 billion. This transaction was neither brought to Mr. President’s attention nor was a board approval obtained before it was entered into.
(D) The CBN has failed or refused to implement the provisions of the Personal Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2007. Accordingly, the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) deductions of its staff are still being computed in accordance with the defunct Personal Income Tax Act 2004, thus effectively assisting its staff to evade tax despite the generous wage package in the CBN, relative to other sectors of the economy.
(E) The CBN had an additional brought forward to General Reserve Fund of N16.031bn in 2012 but proceeded on a boy age of indefensible expenses in 2012 characterised by inexplicable increases in some heads of expenditure during the year. Examples include:
1. The bank spent N3.086bn on “promotional activities” in 2012 (up from N1.084bn in 2011). The bank spent this sum even when it is not in competition with any other institution in Nigeria;
2. The CBN claimed to have expended N20.202bn on ‘Legal and Professional Fees’ in 2011 beyond all reasonable standards of prudence and accountability;
3. Between expenses on ‘Private Guards’ and ‘Lunch for Policemen’, the CBN claimed to have spent N1.257 billion in 2012;
4. While Section 6(3)(c) of the CBN Act 2007 provides that the board of the CBN is to make recommendations to Mr. President on the rate of renumeration to Auditors, the bank has consistently observed this provision in breach and even went to the extent of changing one of the Joint External Auditors without notifying the office of the President.
5. In the explanations offered by the CBN pursuant to presidential directives, it offered a breakdown of ‘Currency Issue Expenses’ for 2011 and 2012. Interestingly, it claimed to have paid N38.233bn to the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting. Company Limited (NSPMC) in 2011 for ‘Printing of Bank notes.’ Paradoxically however, in the same 2011, NSPMC reported a total turnover of N29.370bn for all its transactions with all clients (including the CBN).
6. It is significant to note that the external audit revealed balances of sundry foreign currencies without physical stock of foreign currencies in the CBN Head Office.
Questionable write-off of N40bn loans of a bank
The above issues are only a few of the infractions highlighted by the review and which point to the gross incompetence and recklessness which characterised the operations of the CBN in the period under review.
However, the CBN also claimed that it paid Air Charter, such as payments to Emirate Airline (N0.511bn), Wing Airline (N0.425bn) and Associated Airline (N1.025bn) to distribute currency by air nationwide. Emirate Airline does not fly local charter in Nigeria, Wing Airline is not registered with Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and Associated Airline does not have a billion turnover for 2011 because upon inquiry, the management claimed that they have no financial statements and have not had any significant operations for the past two years that will warrant preparation of financial statements.
The breakdown also includes “Currency Issue Expenses” of N1.158bn and Sundry Currency charges of N1.678bn under “Currency Issue Expenses.” As they are in 2011 so are similar expenses in 2012. These are difficult to understand.
Other areas of fraudulent activities include
1. Facility Management N7.034bn in 2012 (N5.751bn in 2011.
2. Foreign Bank accounts that have been closed offshore were still operational in the General Ledger for over six months after they have been confirmed as closed accounts by the offshore banks.
3. The “Know Your Customer” policy is not properly followed by the CBN to the extent that the CBN has unknown customer with account balance of N1.423bn since 2008. The CBN claim that it is taking steps to obtain the required details regarding the address of the customer.
Wastefulness
1. Training and travel expenses N9.24bn in 2012 up from N7.65bn in 2011.
2. Expenses on “ATM offsite policy change” came to N1.045bn.
3. Expenses on “Non Interest Banking” N1.359bn in 2012 up from N0.977bn in 2011.
The CBN is still very heavy on expenses on “Project Eagles” spending N0.606bn in 2012 up from N63m in 2011.
Expense on newspapers, books and periodicals (excluding CBN’s publications) is N1.678 billion in 2012 up from N1.670bn in 2011.
Source: Sun
