Afrigather By James Imoru
BEING a beacon of integrity in an abundantly blessed however criminally managed, consciously monetized society like Nigeria might be daunting. Ask the Asset Administration Company of Nigeria (AMCON) boss, Ahmed Lawan Kuru. Confronting the hawks who wrecked the banking sector with unpaid loans and thus pressured the creation of the company within the first place isn’t just a frightening job; it’s an task strewn with perils, together with lawfare and media wars by profiteers from the folks’s ache, the buddies and enablers of criminals. For one factor, the obligors of AMCON are within the commanding heights of political energy, and if the nation has realized something prior to now few years when the company and these enemies of state have been locked in a battle, it’s the truth that criminals don’t like publicity.
In 2017, Kuru was garlanded because the African Greatest Rated CEO of The Yr on the second version of the Nationwide Improvement Discussion board (NDF)/award ceremony organized by African Improvement Journal. Explaining the standards for the choice of Kuru on the occasion, the media home said that the AMCON boss was adjudged winner by the panel of judges after a cautious analysis of his tough task at AMCON and the truth that he went about it in a method that supported the anti-graft struggle within the nation. Because it famous, it was a herculean job chasing harmful debtors who had borrowed cash from taxpayers to fund their lavish life-style whereas intentionally refusing to pay again and thus contributed to crippling the Nigerian economic system. The identical level was canvassed by the administration of the New Telegraph after they bestowed upon Kuru the maiden version of the “Public Integrity Award 2021.” The AMCON boss, they averred, was chosen from a big ballot of public servants heading completely different Ministries, Departments and Companies (MDAs) of the federal government throughout Nigeria due to his dedication, dedication, uprightness, and patriotic zeal that he has gone concerning the restoration drive from AMCON obligors who owed Nigeria a present excellent debt of over N4.4trillion.
As a well-liked Nigeria musician quipped, “it’s divinity that abhors falsehood, the world desires no forthrightness.” And but somebody should stand as much as be counted; somebody should dare the established order and rescue the nation from break. That’s the sort of job Dora Akunyili had, and it’s the sort of job Ahmed Kuru has. It’s no marvel, then, that hiding below pseudonyms (faux names) and purveying probably the most blatant of falsehoods, sure anti-Kuru components have gone on an overdrive within the media in current occasions, cooking up falsehood in opposition to the high-flying, phenomenally cerebral, passionately dedicated and resource-savvy AMCON boss. Combining innuendos with conjecture, and vile abuse with sheer envy, they’re doing their stage finest to gown the AMCON boss within the garb of a villain and get him out of the best way. They’re movers and shakers throughout the Nigerian panorama and they aren’t content material with the a number of frivolous circumstances they filed in court docket in a determined try to get away with crimes for which in saner climes they might presently be rotting in jail. The tactic is unmistakable: take Kuru’s job away from him by casting aspersions on his integrity, forcing the president to take away him. That is, to say the least, a devious tactic, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won’t be moved by it. He’s a lot too refined to be swayed by charlatans masquerading as social crusaders. Convicts of economic crimes and the brains behind failed banks fazed by the general public spirit with which Kuru works can solely rage utilizing media hounds; they need to not be allowed to show again the palms of the clock.
The truth that a great variety of AMCON obligors who don’t have any enterprise occupying public workplace given their function in wrecking Nigeria’s monetary system are actually occupying prime authorities workplaces must be a supply of concern. However the truth that they’re utilizing public funds to sponsor all manners of assaults in opposition to AMCON is much more egregious. They’re utilizing public funds to guard their crime and take out those that dared to problem them. They detest AMCON and its debt-recovery efforts with ardour. And their ache was compounded by the truth that following his stellar efficiency within the first 5 years on the helms of affairs of AMCON, President Muhammadu Buhari reappointed Kuru, a profession banker with skilled expertise spanning practically 4 a long time throughout funding banking, threat administration, operations, human capital administration and advertising, for an additional time period of workplace in 2021.
As Managing Director/CEO of the previous Enterprise Financial institution Restricted, Kuru oversaw phenomenal development. Throughout the first two years of his management, the financial institution remodeled N11billion revenue, solidifying the trail of profitability. It’s a undeniable fact that it was AMCON that saved Arik Airways, the biggest native service, and Aero Contractors, Nigeria’s oldest service from shutting down operations, whereas making different strategic investments in numerous different native carriers, all of which have helped to maintain the aviation sector afloat. The truth that AMCON has recovered about N1.8trillion from inception until date can’t be discountenanced, nor can the truth that it acquired about 12,000 Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) price N3.7 trillion from 22 banks and injected N2.2 trillion as monetary lodging to 10 banks in an effort to stop systemic failure.
In August final yr, talking in London, United Kingdom, at a coaching for Federal Excessive Courtroom judges from Nigeria, the AMCON boss indicated that the company’s recoveries in money and in sale of belongings had been made doable with the assistance of the judiciary. This was as a result of “granting of Exparte Orders in addition to orders to connect traced belongings have compelled most recalcitrant obligors of AMCON to come back to the negotiation desk.” The recalcitrant obligors, he mentioned, had mastered the act of clinging to the technicalities quite than settling their established obligations. However the Kuru-led AMCON had by no means shirked its obligations. AMCON made a revenue of N23.97 billion in 2020, which elevated to N34.65 billion in 2021. Within the yr 2022, the company made N58.59 billion revenue. It has persistently delivered on its restoration mandate since its inception. The determine was over N70 billion for 2023. Given the feelers from the company, issues are sure to get even higher below Kuru’s management within the days to come back.
Imoru , Civil Proper Activist, contributes this piece via james_imoru@aol.com.
