Nation
Economist Commends CBN On Financial Report …Says It Will Boost Investors’ Confidence
A financial economist, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, has commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for publishing the financial reports of the bank after seven years.
Uwaleke, who is a professor of Capital Market at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, gave the commendation in an interview with The Tide’s source on Saturday in Lagos.
He said the act would boost the confidence of investors in the Nigerian economy, adding, “it has brought to the fore the true picture of the country’s external reserves being managed by the CBN”.
According to him, it is development shows that it beyond speculation and that much of the reserves are encumbered by securities lending and derivatives contracts entered into by the CBN.
“Much as these contracts are legitimate, the resulting obligations from them put to question the justification for entering into these contracts in the first place and whether adequate safeguards were put in place at the time of entering into these contracts.
“Securities lending is the process of loaning securities to another party which effectively transfers ownership to the other party expected to provide collateral for them.
“In this instance both JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs were said to have provided cash in return,” he said.
This, he said, implied that the current liquid external reserves of about 33 billion dollars did not reflect the true liquidity position of reserves as a significant proportion had been tied down by these contracts.
Uwaleke said, “little wonder the CBN’s ability to intervene in the foreign exchange market has been hampered”.
The expert said as a result of the disclosure, that the current volatility in the foreign exchange market might linger for quite sometime, except the reserves witness substantial accretion from crude oil sales proceeds.
CBN in its recently released Consolidated Financial Statements for 2016 to 2022, posted on its website, showed the bank in 2022 owed JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, among other liabilities.
The document CBN showed that it owed JP Morgan N3.2 trillion or 7 billion dollars and Goldman Sachs N0.23 trillion or 500 million dollars, while N3.1 trillion or 6.3 billion dollars is owed as foreign currency forwards.
The statement also showed that the CBN generated revenue of N2.87 trillion up from N1.96 trillion in 2022.
It showed that the bank recorded N103.85 billion profit during the period, up from the N75 billion posted in 2021.
Furthermore, the accounts showed that CBN reserves comprised of Time deposits and Money Placements of N4.68 trillion.
It also showed other foreign securities of N5.88 trillion, current accounts with foreign banks N3.34 trillion domiciliary accounts of N294.8 billion, sundry currencies and traveler’s cheques of N199.8 billion and the N578.6 billion Gold Bullion which is 16kg.
Additional analysis based on currencies, showed that reserves had convertible currencies in United States dollars worth N12.45 billion.
Also, N1.6 trillion worth of Chinese Renminbu; N134.5 billion worth of British pound; N75 billion worth of Euro; N33 billion worth of Japanese Yen and N66bn worth of other currencies.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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