Almost three months after the liquidation of the Heritage bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the delay in paying the N5,000,000 insured deposits to depositors by the Nigeria Insurance Deposit Corporation (NDIC), official liquidator, has become a major concern to stakeholders.
More worrisome is the fact that NDIC had told the world, shortly after the liquidation on June 3, that 99 per cent of Heritage Bank depositors have total balances of less than N5m.
Few days later, it claimed that in what appeared as a historic shift, the corporation recorded the prompt reimbursement of depositors with payment of about 82.36% of the total insured deposit, noting that the remaining 17.64% of the insured deposits yet to be paid were largely depositors whose accounts have post no debits (PND) instructions or have no BVN. Others are those with no alternative accounts in other banks or accounts with KYC.
The remaining balances (classified as uninsured deposits), according to its statement will be paid as liquidation dividends upon realization of the defunct bank’s assets and recovery of debts owed to the defunct bank.
But, Ifeanyi Uwakwe, who claimed to be representative of depositors of the bank debunked the claim of 82% payment by the corporation.
Uwakwe , who appeared on the Arise Television’s NewsDay belt last week, August 30, said many of the depositors have not been, paid, contrary to the claim by the liquidator.
Besides, he faulted the clumsy arrangement by NDIC and blamed CBN, for the action, querying what the quarterly inspection exercises as well as the yearly financials submitted to it in the last eight years were meant for.
“It is not true that NDIC has paid up to 80% as claimed. Many of our members are yet to be paid and are really being impacted negatively by the delay. It’s on record that most of the branches of the defunct bank were market based and it’s disheartening to see that to see that many of our members are yet to be paid to settle obligations, particularly, the traders who depend on the funds fir daily transactions,” he said.
Another customer, who pleaded for anonymity said, ” the post no debits (PND) instructions or BVN issues as well as alternative accounts in other banks or accounts with KYC limit on the maximum lodgment per day issues as identified by NDIC as responsible for non reimbursement of the insured deposits issues do not apply to me. I have over N5million in my account with the defunct bank and I have not received anything from NDIC.”
Efforts to get NDIC’s reaction failed as Whatsapp message to Bashir Nuhu, its spokesperson since October 30, has yet to receive his attention
