Major retail shareholders groups yesterday rose against the plan by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to establish a Nigerian Capital Market Development Fund (NCMDF) to take custody of unclaimed dividends of 12 years and above.
SEC in a circular sent to capital market stakeholders on Tuesday, had called for a consideration of a new rule that will set up the NCMDF which will take custody of all unclaimed dividends of 12 years and above.
Under the extant laws, unclaimed dividends will remain available for collection by beneficiaries up till 12 years when they become statute-barred and subsequently return to the companies that paid the dividends.
Shareholders leaders across the groups said they would resist the transfer of statute-barred unclaimed dividends to any NCMDF, describing the plan as a wrong move and a volte face from the recent campaign by SEC for the removal of the 12-year limit to enable shareholders and their beneficiaries be able to collect their dividends at any time.