Business

Shareholders Want Appropriate Sanctions Against Erring Stockbrokers

Published

10 years ago

August 19, 2015

L-R: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr Hassan Bello and Director, Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Transport, Mrs Uche Okoro, after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on activities of the Ministry and its agencies at the Presidential Villa in Abuja recently.

Some shareholders have
said that the burden on the Investors Protection Fund (IPF) would be stemmed by the levying of appropriate sanctions on erring stockbrokers caught engaging in sharp practices.
They said that their advocacy became imperative following the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE’s) commitment in restoring market-based confidence through the IPF.
The shareholders also said in interviews with newsmen in Lagos that the market regulators should expose erring dealers engaged in sharp practices to boost investors’ confidence.
The shareholders were reacting to the N43.23 million IPF monies paid to 158 investors as a result of defalcation committed by 29 dealing member firms.
The National Secretary, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Mr Adebayo Adeleke, said that market regulators should prosecute erring brokers, to reduce malpractice in the market.
Adeleke said that stockbrokers were responsible for the losses incurred by investors and should be punished for such.
He said that the regulators should embrace the name and shame approach, to minimise fraudulent practices at the nation’s bourse.
National President, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Mr Boniface Okezie, called for transparency in the management of the fund.
Okezie said that the exchange should make public the names of the beneficiaries, for transparency and for investors to believe in it.
“As for now, the investment protection fund still remains a mystery because nobody is aware of it and the processes involved.
The investing public has to know who and who benefitted so far from the fund; it is not enough to say we have been paid so much, without letting the investing public know what is really going on at the committee level,’’ Okezie said.
He said that shareholders needed to be carried along in decision making by the NSE and its management.
The NSE on August 5 announced plans to compensate 158 investors with N42.23 million, under its IPF.
The IPF is a quasi-capital market insurance scheme inaugurated in 2012 for defalcation committed by the NSE-registered dealing member firms.
The fund was also designed to compensate investors’ loses occasioned by bankruptcy, insolvency, negligence or wrongdoing of the stock-broking firms and to boost investors’ confidence in the nation’s bourse.

Business

NPA Assures On Staff Welfare

Published

19 hours ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive with the development of the welfare of its personnel.

Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the clearing of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.

A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying, “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.

The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.

“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”

Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.

“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.

Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

Published

20 hours ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).

The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.

Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.

The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.

The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.

The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement

Published

20 hours ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.

Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.

He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.

“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.

Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.

The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.

“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.

Chinedu Wosu