SEC engages specialists for key offices, rolls out 10-year master plan

The Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission, Munir Gwarzo said on Wednesday that efforts had been made to enhance service delivery through the recruitment of specialists to fill key offices.

The offices Gwarzo mentioned including Risk Management Division; Strategy Division, Research and Economic division, among others also assured investors that the commission had resolved to deepen the market through the implementation of the 10-year Master plan.

Speaking during an interactive session with the House Committee on Capital Market and other Institutions, Tajudeen Yusuf, the SEC Director-General said that its capital market mandate was for the protection of investors and capital market development.

“We have also been vigorously been pursuing our capital market mandate which is investors protection and capital market development and you need resources. So even within those limited resources we have been able to do that.

“We also set up the national investment protection fund and we have paid 3,000 beneficiaries. We launched the corporate governance scorecard, we have set up committees to review all the laws in Nigeria and all these cost money,” Gwarzo said.

While clarifying issues on the N4.5 billion staff salary and emoluments, he explained that the Commission had judiciously utilised its meagre resources, despite the economic downturn.

He said, “We see SEC as a stronger institution, yes we are going through a serious situation because the market is not where we want it to be. It is a reflection of the economy.

“Unfortunately SEC relies on what the market is able to make. In other jurisdictions, it is not so. In US SEC prepares its budget, takes it to the US Congress for approval. In South Africa, it is the same thing. Once FSB prepares its budget and it is approved, the market would have to fund it.”