The Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe has said the bank believes that Public Private Partnership (PPP) is crucial in buildings sustainable economy and making life easier for the the people through quality services.
Speaking in Lagos at the commissioning of Access Bank office annex at the Ikoyi Passport Office in Lagos, he said the bank has for years, partnered with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) because of its believe in PPP and creativity.
He said: “For us, immigration is key to economic development and protection of Nigerians, prevention of illegal immigrants as is done in first world countries. Customer services is very important and we are bringing quality services to NIS as a key partner”.
He said the facility will not only aid the NIS in the execution of its duties, but ultimately add value to the lives of Nigerians.
“We recognise the importance of the NIS to national development, and are thankful for the sterling leadership of the agency, led by Muhammad Babandede, The Comptroller General Nigeria Immigration Service for driving positive reforms policies that will foster the safety of our nation, increase the attractiveness of Nigeria to foreign investors and once again position Nigeria as a strong player in the global economy,” Wigwe said.
He said Access Bank will continuously contribute to the effort of the government in providing the requisite infrastructure for parastatals to execute their responsibilities effectively.
“A couple of years ago, Access Bank donated some office equipment to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command and today, we will be commissioning an office annex.”
“Indeed, this is one of the many Projects Access Bank has done for Nigeria Immigration Service and the fourth commissioning in Ikoyi passport office. This is due to the excellent services we’ve enjoyed from all the Passport Control Officers (PCOs) that have worked here in Ikoyi and also our strong commitment to CSR,” he said.
“This is a symbolic feat as it is testament to our growth as an institution on its way to becoming Africa’s gateway to the world. We are pleased to be making this contribution and I hope that this lays down a pointer to other corporates in the execution of public-private partnerships.”
Also speaking, The Comptroller General Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, said Access Bank has used its resources wisely by partnering with the agency which makes great impact in the lives of Nigerians.
He said the agency is looking having closer business partnership with the bank adding that the agency is committed to having more portals for payment.
He said the agency has under his leadership brought about creativity to NIS, including the visa on arrival policy that requires people to pay on online and get visa on arrival in the country. He said timeline for passport renewal is three weeks while fresh passport application will take six weeks.
Also, the 2021 Access Bank Group CEO Awards held recently to reward individuals who have showed commitment and hard work towards the growth of the bank.
The virtual event themed ‘Building Global Leadership’ provided a platform to celebrate outstanding performance and drive the Bank’s ‘One People, One Culture’ ideology across the Group. With footprints in affiliates spanning the African continent and beyond, the Bank is truly aspiring to becoming Africa’s Gateway to the World by showcasing diversity through its African subsidiaries on a global stage.
The CEO Awards, one of the programs under the Bank’s ‘We Clap Initiative’, was designed to support the development of a culture of excellence and motivate employees and teams for superior performance across the Bank. Winners were assessed based on their accomplishments, reputation and ability to demonstrate commitment by aligning with the core values of the Bank.
In his speech at the occasion, Group Managing Director/CEO, Herbert Wigwe said “Our significant increases across all major business and financial highlights is the kind of endorsement few can argue with, and we are proud of our ability to add value to clients as well as leverage our unique value proposition to provide innovative solutions across the economic value chain”.
He further added, “The successes we enjoy today did not happen overnight, it has taken 32 years of technological advancement, 32 years of human capital investment by our Access Warriors – individuals who have been motivated to excel and leave an indelible footprints for a new generation of Africans.”
High points from the event comprised a captivating stage performance by internationally renowned artiste, Yemi Alade.
