GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has called on other corporate organizations operating in the state to emulate the worthy example of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to show more commitment in the fulfillment of their corporate social responsibilities.
Dickson made the call on Monday, when he received a 6-member team led by the Branch Controller, CBN in the state, Elder Godwill Obiora in Government House, Yenagoa. He hailed the efforts of the state branch of the CBN for promoting socio-economic activities, as part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility, noting that, its contributions to the development of small and medium scale enterprises across the country have stimulated the economy.
The Governor particularly commended the apex financial institution for its investments in the social sector, through the provision of health, educational and other amenities and enjoined the apex bank to explore other areas of collaboration with the state government to boost development.
Dickson, who also applauded the Federal Government and the Central Bank for the proposed establishment of a school at Swali in the state capital, directed the state Ministry of Education to liaise with the bank, with a view to providing support to the project.
He acknowledged the branch for facilitating financial transactions, not only for individual businesses, but also for the state government, which he noted, has engendered economic growth, especially in the area of complying with the government’s tax policies. Earlier in his remarks, the Branch Controller of CBN, Bayelsa State, Elder Godwill Obiora had said, the establishment of the bank in Bayelsa in 2010 has significantly reduced the cost of transacting banking business.
Obiora, who noted that, the new office complex of the CBN in the state would be completed soon, assured Governor Dickson of the bank’s commitment to reserve the employment quota meant for Bayelsans in the junior cadre. Highlighting some of the bank’s development initiatives in the state, he said, the Federal Government had provided health facilities, furniture in some secondary schools, bore holes, as well as structures for the Federal Government College, Imiringi, in the Ogbia local government area.