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Moving departments of CBN to Lagos is drawing the hands of the clock backwards; politically motivated: Huriwa alleges

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11 months ago

January 14, 2024

THE CBN’s ARROW ON CARRY-TRADE. By: Victor Ogiemwonyi Last week, the CBN issued a circular in respect of FX collateral for Naira Loans, to the effect that it has now expressly forbidden the use of FX as collateral for Naira Loans. Banks that already are exposed, have been directed to wind down their positions in 90days. This circular, again confirms that, there is a lot of solid thinking going on at the CBN. Carry-Trade , is what is referred to, when you bring FX to trade in another jurisdiction by taking a loan in the local market and collateralizing it with FX deposit. It purely signifies that the investment is short term and only aimed at making a profit. The CBN has used high interest rates to attract investors to its instruments, but want to make it clear, that they will not allow unrestrained speculation. The policy is Excellent in its timing to be sure, to the extent that It will mitigate the speculative capital that can affect an economy quickly. We have seen the destructive impact of currency speculation evidently in Asian Financial crisis in 1997, when speculators took on the Thailand’s currency, the Bhat and the Malaysia currency, the Ringgit with economic consequences so severe, that it prompted Mr Mahathir Mohammad , the then prime minister of Malaysia to call Billionaire George Soros a moron. He explains …..” we spent years developing our economy, that has helped many rise, to the middle class, and a moron like Soros, comes around and ruins everything" Soros responded by describing Mr. Mohammad as “a hindrance to his country” …Soros and other Currency Speculators, say they are a “force for good “ in a market economy, given that their activities ensure bad economic policies, propping up weak currencies are not allowed to stand. They argue that their speculation makes economies competitive. Regardless of the economic logic for and against speculation, countries like Nigeria should be prepared. They have learnt from the Asian crisis and will ensure Speculators are aware, that Nigeria is watching their activities. The recent notice from the CBN points to this. The 90 days given to Nigerian Banks, to wind -down the loans, is also an appropriate time frame to wind down these loans. Most of the loans are already short term in nature, any way. The Carry-Trade, is also a structured speculative trade. It is one, of the ways to speculate in currencies and other market assets, legally. It starts with pairing two interest rates and taking position in currencies and other market assets. If this practice is not checked early, it can become a contagious problem that can create bubble capital rapidly, from Speculative bets. This is commonly referred to as “ Hot Money”.That is the capital that leaves without notice. We cannot , afford such speculative trading now. Let us settle the money already in the system, while we carry on with other reforms quickly, to increase our attractiveness as a destination for investment. The foregoing not withstanding, we must also point out that speculative Capital is not all bad. It is like taking a short term loan, to tidy up your position. Foreign portfolio investments of this type, provides the immediate liquidity that is needed to fund the FX market, that gets the economy going, while we work to restart properly. We must quicken our reform efforts, to make our economy attractive to attract more Foreign Capital. We already have an attractive large market with our huge population. Further investment in Health and Education, with attention to our energy infrastructure and security , will greatly advantage, our population . We will also need to give our youths the technical skills, to make them more employable. Only strong growth, will ensure full employment. We will need double digit growth in the next decade to ensure this, and make our economy attractive. This is why the current high interest rates, need to come down quickly, once the CBN achieves its objective , of mopping up the excess liquidity in the system, and restoring fair stability for the Naira. The Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) is a gift to Nigeria, if we know what to do with it. We have a potential to substantially increase our exports and reduce our imports, as we manufacture more of what we need. We must sincerely push our Agriculture to produce more, for our own consumption ,and for exports . We have all the God given comparative advantages, good soil, huge population and a deep market, that provides the incentives. As we become more productive overall, the Naira will get stronger. We have just passed a milestone that many are yet to take notice of: we have allowed the Naira to find its value, even in a down economy. The Naira found support at N1900. That means, in the short run, that is the worse we can expect the Naira to dip. The CBN is also now, preemptively and intelligently signaling price, through the funding of the Bureau De Change market, which is essentially the Black Market. We expect Companies who genuinely need FX, to now be able plan for it. Victor Ogiemwonyi is a retired Investment Banker, and writes from ikoyi, Lagos

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Prominent civil rights advocacy group: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA(HURIWA) has opposed the plan by the new Central Bank of Nigeria governor Mr. Olayemi Cardoso to transfer some departments of the banking chief regulator to Lagos just as the Rights group said the decision which is political, directly smacks of and is reminiscent of the notoriously petty politics that go on in some states of the Federation whereby governors newly elected and sworn-in, rapidly move state universities to their local government areas of nativity.

Besides, HURIWA said it makes no logical sense to give a reason of attempting to decongest the Abuja headquarters of the CBN as a reason for transferring departments of the CBN to Lagos when that same reason of over -congestion of the entire Lagos state was the fundamental reason why the Federal capital territory of Abuja was set up in the first place by law which is subsisting and binding on all persons and authorities as Nigeria’s Federal capital and seat of government.

The Rights group said the decision by the new CBN chief is tantamount to disrespecting section 298 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended) which states unambiguously that the Federal capital territory of Abuja SHALL be the capital of the Federation and seat of government of the Federation.

HURIWA argues that the enabling Act that set up the CBN prescribe the legal functions to include that it is the official Banker of the government of the Federation which emphatically means that the CBN must be domiciled wherever the seat of government is located by law which for now is Abuja the federal capital Territory. The CBN is to issue legal tender currency in Nigeria; maintain external reserves to safeguard the international value of the legal tender currency; promote a sound financial system in Nigeria; and. act as Banker and provide economic and financial advice to the Federal Government.

HURIWA said it is a fallacy to say that some departments must be domiciled in Lagos because of the puerile and laughable reason that most banks have their headquarters in Lagos as if the CBN is subservient or is supposed to follow the operational plans of commercial banks.

In a media statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA accused Olayemi Cardoso of executing ethnic agenda by attempting to move strategic departments of the CBN to his state of origin which is Lagos just as the group wondered if erstwhile governor of CBN for almost a decade, Mr. Emefiele had moved some departments to Asaba, the Delta State capital which is his state of origin whether the Lagos born CBN governor will still have other departments to move to Lagos as is being contemplated. HURIWA urged the CBN chief executive to perish that politically toxic plot because that will be very a dangerous precedent meaning that if a Kano State born person becomes Governor of CBN some day, he or she could also move some departments of the CBN to Kano.

“We think Mr. Cardoso, the Lagos man may be seeing his designation as governor just like that of elected political office of a governor which is why he is trying to experiment with the unethical practice of some governors in some states who upon getting inaugurated, decide in a thoughtless and whimsical manner to relocate long established state owned universities from where they were originally located to their own side of the state as if to say the state is their personal property.

“The decision or plot to relocate departments of CBN to Lagos is politically motivated and must never be allowed to happen or else we will wake up one morning to hear that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has moved the state house back to Lagos which by law stopped being the Federal capital territory the moment Abuja became the FCT by the General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida military regime in the early 1990s.”

HURIWA also faulted the plan to relocate the departments to Lagos because the headquarters of Banks are in Lagos when in actual facts those commercial banks should’ve been asked to set up their corporate or administrative offices in Abuja by virtue of the fact that Abuja by law is the FCT of Nigeria.

The Rights group said the new hierarchy of the CBN by planning to move departments of the bank to Lagos is dragging the hand of the clock backwards in Nigeria. If the CBN new head argues that the Abuja headquarters is congested, it therefore means that all kinds of persons not needed to contribute anything to the running of CBN when in the first place they were simply employed because politicians imposed them on the CBN just as the Rights group argues that the CBN building in Lagos is obviously too tiny to accommodate those staff who might be taken to an over congested Lagos state.

“This ethnic agenda by the Lagos born CBN Governor must be aborted and the CBN is a banking regulator of all of Nigeria and not for banks domiciled in Lagos only.

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HURIWA recalled that the Central Bank of Nigeria is set to transfer some of its departments to Lagos State.
This was stated in an Internal memo seen by a media house at the Weekend.

The move, according to an official of the CBN who spoke on condition of anonymity, is to decongest the apex bank’s head office.

HURIWA also recalled that some staff members of the bank have reportedly resisted the transfer and claimed that it is motivated by tribal sentiment, which the Rights group also believed is the reason why the Lagos born Governor of CBN is plotting to take strategic departments to his Lagos state.

HURIWA recalled that in the media report it was gathered through the official that the departments penciled down for relocation by the CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso are Banking Supervision; Other Financial Institutions Supervision; Consumer Protection Department; Payment System Management Department and Financial Policy Regulations Department.

HURIWA cited a media report in which a top official of the CBN said as follows: “Most of the bank’s headquarters are in Lagos. The CBN usually sends staff from Abuja to work in Lagos for like one to two months and return to the head office. Being on the road all the time is not safe for them and not also cost-efficient for the bank. We know that anybody leaving their comfort would feel the pain, that is why some of the affected workers are complaining but I can assure you that, it is for their good,” he said.

Specifically, excerpts from the memo obtained read, “This is to notify all staff members at the CBN Head Office that we have initiated a decongestion action plan designed to optimise the operational environment of the bank.

“This initiative aims to ensure compliance with building safety standards and enhance the efficient utilisation of our office space.

“This action is necessitated by several factors, including the need to align the Bank’s structure with its functions and objectives, redistribute skills to ensure a more even geographical spread of talent and comply with building regulations, as indicated by repeated warnings from the Facility Manager, and the findings and recommendations of the Committee on Decongestion of the CBN Head Office.

“The action plan focuses on optimising the utilisation of other Bank’s premises. With this plan, 1,533 staff will be moved to other CBN facilities within Abuja, Lagos and understaffed branches.

“Our current occupancy level of 4,233 significantly exceeds the optimal capacity of 2,700 designed for the Head Office building. This overcrowding poses several critical challenges:

“Safety Concerns: The building’s infrastructure was designed for a specific number of occupants. Exceeding this capacity has raised safety concerns, increased health and accident risks – and hinders efficient emergency evacuation.

“Reduced Efficiency: Crowded workspaces are negatively impacting productivity and collaboration. Additionally, overstretched facilities have led to increased maintenance costs.

“Structural Integrity: The building’s integrity can be compromised by exceeding its designed capacity.”

The memo further said the decongestion would also improve the apex bank’s operational and workflow efficiency.

“Strategic alignment: The decision to redistribute departments and staff is rooted in a strategic approach to align the structure of the Bank with its functions and objectives. Certain departments may be better suited to operate in proximity to Financial Institutions’ head offices, which are predominantly located in Lagos. This strategic alignment ensures optimal collaboration and efficiency,” the memo stated.

HURIWA said the National Assembly must call the new CBN governor Mr. Olayemi Cardoso to order so he doesn’t unwittingly use ethnic politics to poison and kill off such a national institution like the Central Bank of Nigeria. HURIWA argues that all departments of CBN headquarters must be in Abuja whilst those staff already in the Lagos office should be instructed to handle assignments involving banks based in Lagos. HURIWA said in a digital age like ours, the CBN doesn’t have to physically locate staff in Lagos to carry out their tasks of regulating the banking sector.