society_admin, Author at SocietyGazette.com

OUR BRANCHES ARE OPEN NATIONWIDE

Following the directives for partial lockdown in several States across the country, we will be offering skeletal services in some of our branches across the nation.

These branches will be open from 9:00am to 2:00pm, Monday to Friday. We have implemented all necessary health and safety measures across these branches to keep you safe at all our locations.

For the list of branches, please go to https://www.firstbanknigeria.com/list-of-open-branches-nationwide/

Our alternative channels are available for you 24/7 during this period.

Thank you for your understanding at this period as we continue to work to put You First.

#FlattenTheCurve

Signed:

Folake Ani-Mumuney

Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications

First Bank of Nigeria Limited

Ondo Governorship Poll 2020: APC’s Unity Forum Clears the Air on Consensus Candidate

About three weeks ago, the Unity Forum of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State constituted a 7-man Selection Committee to select a consensus candidate among the ten aspirants who have expressed their interests in becoming the governor of the State. Immediately the committee members swung into actions by interfacing with the aspirants and examining their blueprints for the State. Thereafter, the committee went into sessions of deliberations to arrive at a consensus choice.

While members of the forum and the general public eagerly await the outcome of the exercise, the social media has been awashed with various conflicting reports about the outcome of the exercise.

To set the records straight, here is what the Secretary of the Selection Committee Professor Sola Ehindero has to say:

“The mandate of the committee set up by the UNITY FORUM is to select a CONSENSUS candidate who is credible, loyal and whose track record reflects his or her community and corporate accountability and commitment to self-less service.

After three weeks of non-compromising deliberations and as at today Friday, 27th of March, 2020, the committee is yet to reach a decision on such a candidate and thus yet to prepare a report.While the search continues party members should ignore information from the social media or any outfit regarding the choice of a consensus candidate”.

COVID 19: FIRSTBANK CHOOSES TO SOLVE EDUCATION CHALLENGES FACING PARENTS

The CEO of FirstBank Dr. Adesola Adeduntan has announced that the Bank in partnership with government and other stakeholders is extending its attention to immediate needs in our society in the face of the widespread COVID-19 by putting in place complementary efforts in education to support students and minimize the disruption to education resulting from schools’ closure. This is following the activation of the Bank’s Business Continuity Process and subsequent deployment of safety initiatives and measures implemented across its business outlets nationwide, to help flatten the curve and ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff customers and other stakeholders.

Dr Adeduntan explained that many parents are concerned about children and wards whose education is truncated by the current crisis and are particularly worried about keeping children at home idle as all schools from primary through to tertiary institutions are closed across the nation. Emphasising the urgent need to ensure that our children are not disadvantaged, remain engaged and stay safe during this period, he announced the Bank has concluded plans with the necessary authorities to enable as many children as possible access e-learning.

Speaking on the initiative to enable as many children move on to safe e-learning, Dr Adeduntan said “we are warmed by the fact that different organizations have risen to the various challenges and are supporting in areas such as health and welfare, and we feel the peculiar needs of our children and youth must not be left out and have therefore elected to focus on contributing to solving the current education challenge. Education remains the bedrock of any society and we believe that when we educate our children we enable our nation and produce global citizens who provide ground breaking solutions for the continent and the world at large. So, building educational partnerships is an avenue to support our children to remain resourceful and fully engaged at this time so they can compete favorably with their peers internationally. It’s a responsible approach to empower them given that they are our future and the foundation to build our country to greatness. By partnering on this we are solving a problem for families and for our future.”

To this end, we are working with the States; United Nations Global Compact; innovative technology firms such as Robert & John to provide e-learning solution with the Government approved curriculum for students across the country. The roll out begins first week in April starting with Lagos State where FirstBank will support the roll out of Roducate which has been adjudged a best fit solution by educators, teachers and all necessary authorities. This solution has the full curriculum on both the online and offline versions with the offline version of particular interest as it eliminates the challenge posed by data affordability.

We call on well-meaning organisations and individuals to join us and collectively rise to address the challenges this current pandemic presents to our children and youth and are reaching out to other organisations with complementary solutions to also partner on this initiative for the youth who are our future. They must not be lost in this pandemic’.

For more information on how you can partner, please click on the link below

https://www.firstbanknigeria.com/corporate-responsibility-sustainability/education-health-welfare/drive-to-move-one-million-students-to-e-learning/

Heritage Bank stimulates CBN’s financial inclusion on 2020 target

As part of efforts to consummate the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) initiated policy aimed at reducing the figure of the unbanked populace by 20 percent by 2020 and to ensure greater participation in the nation’s financial sector, Heritage Bank Plc has keyed into this initiative to drive financial inclusion and promote economic growth.

CBN has mandated all banks in line with the 2020 financial inclusion target, to have a nationwide Account Opening Week.

The Account Opening Week is an initiative of the CBN, Bankers’ Committee and other Stakeholders to provide opportunities for financially excluded Nigerians and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises to open accounts with formal financial institutions, with the overall aim to access financial services to reduce the current 36.8per cent financially excluded to 20per cent and stimulate economic growth.

Towards this developments, Heritage Bank strategically deployed its technology and large number of staff to reach the large populace who do not have bank accounts in selected states were sensitised and mobilised to designated centres in rural areas, where they opened their personal accounts.

Speaking on this exercise, the MD/CEO of the bank, Ifie Sekibo stated that Heritage Bank has been at the fore front and continued to give its unreserved backing towards reducing the exclusion rate to 20per cent by 2020, create jobs, reduce poverty and improve the welfare of the people.

According to him, the bank succeeded in opening more than 2, 000 bank accounts in designated centres of the following six (6) states; Kano, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Gombe, Bayelsa and Ondo.

Meanwhile, Sekibo made recourse to Heritage Bank’s supports so far, thereby noting that the bank have been taking aggressive approach with the introduction of agent banking partners.

He pinpointed that the bank has brought on board over 10,000 agent partners since the commencement and launching of ‘corner shop’, which lends credibility to the consistency of the service and how it is changing lives and empowering Nigerians across the country.

At this steady growth rate of approximately 17.5 percent new agent per month, one can say that hitting the long term vision of 100,000 active agents in five years is well within reach.

However, Sekibo explained that financially excluded persons constitute a gap in the financial system and there is no way to create a perfect economy except all these people are brought on board.

“Another issue is that the older generation seem to be averse to technology because they have not been exposed to it and the fear of fraud,” he also said, but assured that the CBN and the banks will continue to improve its technology space.

IYKE KANU EMERGES AGN PATRON AS “OPERATION LAST DANCE” PREMIERS

The Chairman of Icecos Energy Limited and National Mandate Newspaper, Dr. Iyke Kanu has emerged Patron of Actors Guild of Nigeria at the just concluded 9th Biennial Lecture and Launching / Premiering of “Operation Last Dance” with theme “The Strategic Role of Nollywood in the Nigerian Economy” held at the expansive Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel, Abuja on Wednesday 11th March, 2020, by the Guild under the leadership of Emeka Rollas Ejezie.

Other notable personalities that were inducted alongside Dr. Kanu are the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.- Gen. Tukur Buratai, Senator Ishaku Abbo, Dr. Chris Okafor, Dr. Nasir El-Rufai, Sen. Ifeanyi Uba, Chief Godswill Akpabio, Prince Ned Nwoko, who was named Chairman of Patrons, etc.

In his speech, Dr. Kanu who served as the chairman of the occasion recalled how in 1957 the movie, “Fincho” by Sam Zebba heralded the birth of what is today known as Nollywood, followed closely by “Kadara” in 1980, before the 1992 blockbuster “Living in Bondage,” that ultimately announced the readiness of Nollywood to take the world by storm, and trust there have been no looking back since then.

He further said that the theatrical prowess and cinematic efforts of first generation legends like Hubert Ogunde, Adeyemi Afolayan, Pete Edochie, Tunde Kelani, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Adebayo Salami, Olu Jacobs, Ladi Ladebo, Jide Kosoko, Moses Olaiya, Sadiq Daba, Afolabi Adesanya among others, played a pivotal role in shaping the film industry to its enviable heights and after them, Nollywood has never at any time been short of talents.

The industry has blossomed, evolved and grown in every facets of film making, thereby positioned as unarguably one of the leading employers of labour in Nigeria. Though highly pertinent to note that with involvement of government and other investors, the industry has the posture to eclipse its present status in a short while, he said.

This sector beyond contributing to the nation’s GDP, growing the tourism sector of the economy and positioning itself as the biggest promoter of the brand Nigeria, within and outside the shores of this nation has churned out notable heroes over the last seven decades of its existence.

Nollywood over time has proven to be a strong catalyst for preservation of our cultural heritage as a people which is at the verge of extinct on the accounts of influx of western culture. The adaptation of national histories and cultures into movies has been a tool to educate this generation and the one to come of the labours of our heroes past.

It is on record that the film industry offers potentials for economic, social mobilization and political cohesion and it is necessary for government to tap into wide film market and readiness of stakeholders to revamp the sector to be the largest singular contributor to GDP and job creation outside oil. He said

My honest submission here today is that if government should be ready to grow revenue from other sectors beyond oil, the creative industry should be the first to take advantage of, galvanize support for an investors-friendly industry, promulgate laws that will regulate and protect contents and fight piracy, provide social security framework for stakeholders and support the sector with take-off grants through all the guilds that make up the industry and in no distance time, Nollywood boost our GDP by 10%, he posited emphatically.

Beyond all, Nollywood has been a tool for mass mobilization and dissemination of information as most of their films has been positioned to fight one social ill in the society or others just like the one that is premiered today, “Operation Last Dance”. He concluded.

AGN President, Emeka Rollas said Dr. Kanu’s choice for inauguration as Patron is as a result of his huge moral and financial support to the Guild over the years and urged other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate his philanthropic gestures.

The high point of the well-attended event is the unveiling of the prototype proposed film village which drew applause and support of the special guests present including Dr. Kanu who pledged to be financially involved in the project.

UBA Empowers 400 Entrepreneurs In Onitsha

Pan African financial Institution, United Bank for Africa during the weekend held a Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) capacity training in Onitsha where about 400 small and medium scale business entrepreneurs in Onitsha, Anambra State, benefitted immensely from the impactful training.

The beneficiaries were trained in record keeping, cost reduction, stock compiling, financial and taxation planning, maximising opportunities, financial planning and projections.

UBA’s Regional Head of Anambra II Anyanuno Ozioma, who flagged of the MSME training said the capacity development workshop is intended to add value to customers’ businesses through improving their knowledge and skills. It was also conceptualised to fill the existing gaps observed in business and allay beneficiaries’ hitherto fears of expanding their businesses.

He said: “Modern day business requires that an average businessman regularly updates his knowledge to cope with the changing economy. Besides, this is an internet/ technology driven age and our customers need to learn new ways of doing business and how to package their businesses for increased patronage.”

Anyanuno said the turnout was a demonstration of the bank’s acceptance by the traders and the importance they attached to the workshop. He promised a repeat of the exercise to accommodate more people.

Head of E-banking Babatunde Ajayi said the programme was part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in furtherance of its responsiveness to customers’ needs while also assuring that the bank is 100 percent committed to the overall growth and success of its customers.

Entrepreneurs who spoke after the training commended and appreciated UBA for such a novel initiative which they noted is what their businesses truly needs to succeed.

Prophet Iginla’s 6 Years Old Prediction about COVID-19

The world is currently on its knees deep in fear, and this is not unconnected to the outbreak of the pandemic known as coronavirus.

However, as panic sweeps across the world over the catastrophic terror of death caused by the dreaded pandemic known as coronavirus, it is important to know that God has spoken about it six years ago through his prophet , Joshua Iginla before its emergence .

Since world leaders are seeking for solutions at such a time like this, coupled with the fact that scientific fraternity is incapacitated, then they should turn to God and listen to his prophet whom he sent as his mouth piece.

In 2014, Iginla prophesied accurately about a dreadful disease coming in the year 2020.

“ I see a dreadful sickness worse than HIV. I see a beast coming out. I saw medical experts gathered round this beast but could not conquer it . And I see it killing millions of people between 2014 and 2020. Let’s pray that between 2014 and 2020 we won’t see a breakout of this virus that will kill millions. This is a plot. It’s an end-time sickness. When we talk about HIV , this is not it. It is something that will blow up the minds of scientist.

It would be recalled that the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.

The outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019, and was recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. As of 21 March, more than 276,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in over 180 countries and territories, resulting in more than 11,300 deaths and 88,000 recoveries causing global panic and emergencies across the world .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y57ywfWhyHs&t=38s

CORONAVIRUS: FIRSTBANK DEPLOYS MEASURES TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

Nigeria’s leading financial inclusion services provider, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, has announced proactive measures it has taken to control the spread of the COVID – 19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

The Bank’s Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Folake Ani-Mumuney, said “embedded in our corporate strategy is business continuity management that ensures the delivery of products, services and initiatives to our stakeholders and enabling the economy in the long-term with minimal impact.

Therefore, we have employed necessary measures to keep our employees, customers and the general public safe-guarded and sensitised on preventive steps to flatten the curve at the fastest possible rate. These include the deployment of temperature measuring tools; hand sanitisers; face masks and adopting social distancing including utilizing virtual meetings. We have also cancelled owned and partnered planned events in the interim; suspended staff travels and have put measures in place to identify and communicate to staff who are arriving from affected countries to self-quarantine following the established protocols by the World Health Organisation and the government.

In addition, we have been amplifying all necessary official information from relevant health bodies and partners such as encouraging everyone to adhere to good hygiene practices which comprise regular cleaning of all surface areas – for example, tables, door handles – with disinfectants, consistent washing of hands as well as avoiding close contact with people and staying away from crowded environment”.

Encouraging the use of cashless transactions, Mrs. Ani-Mumuney said; “we implore all our customers to embrace cashless transactions across our self-service platforms like *894# USSD banking services, FirstMobile, WhatsApp Banking, First Online for their needs like funds transfers, various bill payments, credit and internet data recharge and much more. In need of quick loans, these self-service platforms are also designed to meet their immediate needs through our FirstAdvance service”.

For enquiries and complaints, customers are encouraged to contact the Bank’s 24 hours multi-lingual customer care centre, FirstContact, on 01-4485500 or email, firstcontact@firstbanknigeria.com.

She noted that the Bank is committed to protecting the health and safety of all its staff, customers and host communities as together the fight against Coronavirus would be won.

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) should be reached on its Toll-Free Number: 0800 9700 001 for immediate medical attention and advise.

Gas Explosion: Zenith Bank Commiserate with LASG, Donates N100m to Emergency Relief Fund

Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading financial institution, has donated N100 million to the Emergency Relief Fund set up by the Lagos State Government for the victims of the Abulo-Edo explosion.

The Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu made the pledge on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, when the Management of the Bank visited the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the State House, Marina, Lagos to condone with him and the good people of Lagos State on the unfortunate incident of March 15, 2020 which led to the loss of lives and properties at the Abule-Ado area in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking during the visit, Mr. Onyeagwu said: “For us in Zenith, we share in the concerns and the very traumatic experience that Lagos state is passing through. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, those who lost their lives and those who are still in the hospitals, recovering. We can only but pray that God will comfort the families. We are also very impressed with the fact that the response from the Lagos State Government was quick, rapid and immediate. There is nothing you can do to quantify the loss of lives. The only thing one can do is to ameliorate the sufferings, the pains and the discomfort of those who have been terribly impacted. So, we would like to let Mr. Governor know that we share with him at this moment. We are aware that you’ve also set up a relief fund account and we are willing to make an immediate contribution of N100 million”.

On his part, the Lagos State Governor expressed his sincere appreciation to the Management of the Bank for taking time out of their busy schedule to embark on the sober visit and stand with the State Government in this trying moment. While thanking the bank for the N100 million donation to the emergency relief fund set up by the State Government for victims of the explosion, he also expressed his delight at the bank’s acceptance of the offer to co-house the fund.

Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu had on Monday while speaking with stakeholders and journalists at the explosion site, disclosed that a N2 billion Abule Ado/Soba Emergency Relief Fund had been set up for the victims. He said the state government have donated N250 million to the fund and solicited for support from all Nigerians including the private sector.

PRUDENTIAL ZENITH LIFE INSURANCE LAUNCHES MOBILE PAYMENTS FOR PROTECTION WITH *5966# USSD CODE

Prudential Zenith Life Insurance has launched a payment service which allows mobile phone customers in Nigeria to buy protection policies wherever they are.

Customers who dial *5966# on their mobile phones will be able to purchase a life insurance or hospital cash plan policy in a matter of minutes.

Speaking at the launch of the product at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the Chairman of Prudential Zenith Life, Mr. Jim Ovia (CON), said “We are pleased to announce this exciting and innovative initiative that will democratize access to insurance for all Nigerians. We are strongly committed to deepening financial inclusion”.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Prudential Africa, Matt Lilley said: “We launched Prudential Zenith Life in 2017 to help minimize uncertainty from the lives of Nigerians. I believe that this service will make it easier for people to access life insurance cover that gives them and their families financial peace of mind, if an accident or the worst were to happen.”

Research shows that Nigerians are significantly underinsured despite the adoption of mobile phones for insurance purchase in several parts of the world. Only one per cent of Nigerians have insurance whilst more than 95 per cent of the population have mobile phones. Prudential Zenith Life seeks to increase the number of families that have financial protection by making it convenient to purchase insurance on their mobile phones.

Prudential Zenith Life Insurance Limited is part of Prudential Plc, one of the oldest and most strongly capitalised life insurance companies in the world. It provides a range of insurance and investment-linked savings products designed to suit corporate and individual customers’ budgets.

Prudential Zenith Life seeks to remove uncertainty from life’s big events, providing customers with the freedom to confront the future with greater confidence. It is equally committed to meeting the long-term savings and protection needs of families and businesses in Nigeria. Whether someone is starting a family, saving for a child’s education or planning for old age, Prudential Zenith Life provides customers with financial peace of mind.