Business
Ecobank Faces SEC’s Scrutiny
Nigerian financial securities regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has in line with the International Finance Corporation’s Corporate Governance Code, commenced investigations on Pan African banking leader, Eco Bank Plc for alleged misstatement of 2012 performance.
This is contained in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reports made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.
The source said that the regulator had sent queries about Ecobank’s 2012 performance to all the directors as stipulated by the corporate governance code.
The report said that the officials of SEC held a meeting with Ecobank’s board of directors to discuss the issue.
The Pan-African Bank with operations in 32 African countries stated in march that its pretax profit for the 2012 rose to an all-time high of $348 million, up a quarter on the same period of year ago.
The SEC source noted that the allegation of material misstatement of facts against Ecobank may also determine whether or not a bonus awarded to the Chief Executive Officer, Thierry Tonoh, for that year was proper.
The executive directors have also been issued a specified questionair on matters emanating from the petition.
According to the report, the initial complaint to the SEC came from Laurence do Rego, the bank’s suspended head of finance.
Responding to the petition of the suspended head of finance, the bank’s spokesman, Jeremy Reynolds said the bank’s board of directors met with SEC in August, adding that the bank is cooperating and dialoguing with them on the issues.
Reynolds said that do Rego who joined the bank eleven years ago was suspended for falsely claiming to be an accountant.
He noted that the suspended finance head had not responded to the bank’s invitation to meet the board of directors and substantiate the claims.