UBA urges private sector to prioritise opportunities for people with disability

..as National Assembly awards bank

The United Bank for Africa (UBA), has urged corporate organisations including the banking community to to take the issue of disability as a priority.

Alex Alozie, excutive director (North) of the UBA, made this call during the presentation of the Disability-Friendly Award to UBA by the National Assembly in Abuja, expressed concerns that it is an aspect most corporate organisations are omitting.

He noted that the award the Bank recieved is in recognition of its numerous banking products which are easily accessible to the physically challenged people in the society.

The Award was presented to the financial institution by Bashiru Dawodu, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Disability. Alozie,was accompanied by May Ikhile, Manager of the National Assembly branch of the Bank.

On why the UBA decided to take the issue of disability as a priority, Alozie stressed, “The issue of disability is an aspect most corporate organisations are omitting”.

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He commended the National Assembly for bestowing the award on the bank. “I say thank you to the House of Representatives for this honour. I also want to promise that UBA will move on. We have not gotten to the promised land, but the most important thing is that we know where we are going and we’ll get to the promised land” he said.

“Being a social responsible organisation and a bank, we feel that we need to pay back to the society and feel that this is one area that’s neglected by everybody. That is why UBA comes to lend a helping hand, it will touch a lot of people and that was the reason UBA decided to pay attention to that”, he explained.

“We printed an account opening form for the visually impaired, which was not an easy thing. We distributed them and we have a lot of people that have actually opened an account in UBA across all states in Nigeria”,he further said.

Dawodu, chairman of the committee noted that the United Bank Africa is specifically recognised for their outstanding performance on disability affairs especially the visually impaired.

“This committee is a one-stop shop for the community of persons with disabilities. So, when we were requesting for nominations for organisations or agencies that have been great to persons with disabilities, UBA was nominated.

“Those who sent in their nominations to the National Assembly specifically preferred the UBA for their efforts towards the visually impaired in banking. So, that is why UBA is been recognised today specifically for that particular effort”, he said.