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Crisis Looms as RT Briscoe Erodes Shareholders’ Fund by N9.4bn
By Dipo Olowookere
All may not be too well with RT Briscoe Plc as the company’s auditors, PKF Professional Services, have said if urgent steps are not taken; the automobile firm may be forced to wind down.
On Monday, September 21, 2020, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) made the financial statements of RT Briscoe for the year ended December 31, 2019, available to the investing public.
An analysis of the results done by Business Post showed that the organisation is struggling to remain in business. This is because the firm is not generating enough funds to meet its normal obligations.
Though the revenue generated in the 2019 reporting year went up to N6.9 billion from N5.2 billion in 2018, the firm still recorded pre and post-tax losses.
The loss before tax reduced to N1.2 billion from N2.2 billion and the loss after tax dropped to N1.3 billion from N2.2 billion, while the retained earnings closed in negative N13.4 billion versus negative N12.1 billion in 2018.
The loss for the year was attributed to the finance costs, which remain high at N1.4 billion, though it recorded positive operating profits of N196 million during the year.
In the year, the group’s current liabilities exceeded its current assets by N14.8 billion versus N13.4 billion in 2018, while its total liabilities exceeded its total assets by N9.5 billion compared with N8.2 billion in 2018.
It was stated that “due to the losses incurred over the years, the shareholders’ fund has been totally eroded to the tune of N9.4 billion deficit as at December 31, 2019.”
In their notes, the auditors said the bank overdrafts of RT Briscoe as December 31, 2019, stood at N15 billion, representing 86 per cent of the total liabilities which is significant in the consolidated financial statements.
“The company has not been able to repay the bank overdraft and this has led to winding-up cases by the banks and other creditors.
“There are also issues on penalty charges by the banks. The significant, in relation to the inability to repay the borrowings which led to court litigations and also the going concern issues, makes it a key audit matter,” the auditors said in the report.
According to PKF Professional Services, “the issues raised in the financial statements indicate the existence of a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern.”
However, it was noted that the board has taken steps to return the company back to profitability by coming up with a number of strategic measures, which it said are already yielding positive results.
One of these strategies includes restructuring the business for greater efficiency and profitability and positioning the company and or its subsidiaries to attract potential investors.
RT Briscoe stressed that this has led to an increase in operating profits of N100.3 million and N195.0 million in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
Another strategy implemented, according to the firm, is recapitalising the business, which is to explore the possibility of raising about N10 billion by way of equity, debt capital or a combination of both.
RT Briscoe said it engaged the services of Lead Capital to see how to make this a reality and a draft prospectus for a Special Purpose Money Market Funds was designed and approved by the board and is about to be submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for approval.
The company also said it engaged some forensic experts to look into its bank statements and it was discovered that rather than owing the banks the huge amounts being currently claimed by the banks against the firm, the company should, in fact, have positive balances with some of these banks, as the huge liabilities claimed by the banks are mainly due to questionable excess and penal charges.
Business Post recalls that on September 1, 2020, the NSE suspended trading in the shares of RT Briscoe and five other companies because of their failure to release their financial statements. It was not the first time such action was taken on RT Briscoe, which was also suspended on July 2, 2019, for the same reason. A year earlier, on July 5, 2018, the NSE also suspended RT Briscoe from the exchange due to failure to submit its 2017 financial results. The suspension was only lifted two months after it did the needful.
RT Briscoe is allegedly indebted to Access Bank (through Diamond Bank), Polaris Bank (through Skye Bank), GTBank, UBA, First Bank, FSDH Merchant Bank and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to creating an eco-friendly state with fewer cars on the roads in the future.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said this during a presentation at the closing of the fifth Lagos Real Estate Marketplace Conference and Exhibitions in Lagos.
Mr Osiyemi said that the commitment is in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s led administration, expressing concerns that traffic congestion costs the state trillions of Naira in budget deficits annually.
The transportation commissioner noted that the heavy reliance on road transportation, which accounts for 90 per cent of travel in Lagos, is unacceptable and unsustainable.
The Commissioner stated that water and rail transportation account for only two per cent of the means of transportation, highlighting their gross underutilisation.
Mr Osiyemi emphasised that every sector in the state must be robust enough to contribute significantly to the wellbeing of its residents, as Lagos accounts for 30 per cent of the nation’s gross domestic product.
He expressed the state’s readiness to maximise the use of intermodal transportation system, to help upscale socio-economic activities in the metropolis and reduce man-hour loss to traffic.
In a panel discussion, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Ms Titilayo Oshodi, emphasised the need for the state and its stakeholders to adopt a purposeful approach to waste management.
Ms Oshodi highlighted the importance of a circular economy in recycling, repurposing and reusing waste effectively.
She noted that several policies were already in place in the state for managing waste, urging producers and manufacturers across various sectors to collaborate with the state government to contribute to carbon reduction efforts.
Other panellists including Ms Stella Okengwu, Chief Executive Officer of Winhomes, said that the current economic situation calls for housing to be built based on clear demand that aligns with people’s budgets while Mr John Oamen, Co-founder of Cutstruct, urged the state government to promote the digitisation of construction procurement.
This, he added, would enhance the efficiency and practices of the construction and real estate sectors.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
There are plans by Heirs Insurance to introduce insurance products tailored for vehicle owners, a statement from the underwriting firm has disclosed.
According to the subsidiary of Heirs Holdings, this low-cost motor insurance package known as the Flexi Comprehensive Motor Insurance Plan will provide the benefit of a comprehensive motor insurance plan for a fraction of the cost, addressing the financial realities many Nigerians face.
The underwriting company announced the plan to introduce this package as it launched a new campaign designed to reward its customers.
This initiative themed Unwrapping Smiles will bring hope to individuals, families, and communities this holiday season, and will run from December 10 to December 31, 2024.
It will feature community-focused outreaches, including Christmas gifts and exciting rewards to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians. It will also include the launch of a holiday-watch web film known as The Underwriters for all Nigerians to enjoy.
“At Heirs Insurance Group, we are committed to providing much more than insurance. In a season when many Nigerians seek hope and reasons to smile, we are proud to offer initiatives that inspire and uplift,” the Chief Marketing Officer of Heirs Insurance, Ms Ifesinachi Okpagu, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi) claims that investments in championing the CNG value chain have hit $450 million.
This was disclosed by Mr Michael Oluwagbemi, Project Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), PCNGi, during the 9th Edition of the Nigeria Energy Forum (NEF2024) Day 2, Virtual Event themed Energising Sustainable Industrialisation.
According to the PCNGi CEO, the amount goes into things like mother stations, daughter stations and refuelling stations as well as conversion centres which are starting to spring up across the nation.
Mr Oluwagbemi, represented by Mr Tosin Coker, the Head of Commercial, PCNGi, said the initiative had successfully converted more than 10,000 vehicles from petrol to CNG.
“By 2027, the initiative will have converted more than one million vehicles using petrol to CNG,” he said.
On incidents of explosion of vehicles using CNG, the CEO assured Nigerians that it had taken precautionary measures with different agencies of government to ensure safety.
Mrs Ibironke Olubamise, National Coordinator of the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), managed by UNDP, said the SGP was investing in youth energy innovation for economic growth and environmental sustainability.
Mr Daniel Adeuyi, NEF Group Chairman, said, “The event featured three super sessions on Energising Industrial Revolution, Community Climate Action by GEF-SGP UNDP and Clean Energy Innovations.
“The sessions are to share lessons learnt from real-life projects and build capacity of young entrepreneurs and cross-industry professionals.”
Mr Joseph Osanipin, the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), said that the council had trained more than 4,000 auto technicians on how to convert petrol vehicles to CNG.
He said the council had started campaigns to sensitise Nigerians on the advantages of using CNG to power their vehicles.
“CNG can guarantee a cleaner environment, it is cheaper and affordable,” he said.
Mr Oluwatobi Ajayi, the Chairman and Managing Director of Nord Automobile Ltd., said the company was established to tackle the growing demand for vehicles in Africa and reduce import dependency.
He said that because of the Federal Government’s CNG initiative, the company had incorporated it into their vehicle production to meet up with the government policy.
Mr Armstrong Tankan, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), said that MOFI was set up in 1959 as the statutory vehicle to hold all the assets owned by the federal government.
“Today, we’ve been able to identify the assets the federal government owns and we are trying to track them.
‘We actually do have assets, not just locally but globally as well and we must establish visibility over what the federal government owns before we can start talking about managing them.
“So, we want to try to minimise the waste, minimise the overlaps and help to improve output,” he said.
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