November 16, 2016 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Far left, Anglophone Mr. Alawuba, Mrs.Karefa-Kargbo, MD Ejiofor, H.E Quist-Adebiyi
The Anglophone Chief Executive Officer of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Oliver Alawuba, yesterday interacted with UBA customers in Sierra Leone to discuss issues affecting customers and recommend solutions for more satisfaction of customers.
Speaking at the well- attended interactive session organised at Radison Blu, Mammy Yoko Hotel ,Aberdeen in Freetown, Mr. Alawuba said UBA has operations in 19 African countries and that they were the only African bank that has presence in three global financial centres including London, Paris and New York.
He said UBA is a pan African bank that has been in existence for over seventy years now and that their operations in London, Paris and New York were meant to promote African businesses in that part of the world.
He disclosed that the bank has over twenty billion Dollars asset, which can enable them undertake all kinds of businesses that would drive the economic development in the countries they operate.
He said at UBA they believe that customers are the Centre of business, which was why they put them first ,adding that they believed that through the interactive session, customers would be able to tell the UBA management as to what they should do that will help their businesses.
He encouraged companies, investors and individuals to join UBA and see their businesses grow.
In his welcoming address to their valuable customers including Dangote Cement, Nigerian High Commission, Airtel Sierra Leone, Afrecell, Sierra Leone Bolting Company, Mercury International, Vita Foam, Sierra Leone Brewery Limited, Radison Blu Sierra Leone, among many others, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of UBA Sierra Leone, Ndubuisi Ejiofor thanks customers for honouring their invitation.
“At UBA, customers are first in everything we do because we are aware of the fact that without them there is no business. Many other companies had come and fell simply because they did not listen to their customers. But We are not kind of those companies, which is why we respect our customers and interact with them for further development of the bank,” he said.
He disclosed that in just seven years that they have been operating in Sierra Leone, they have over 47,000 customers and that they were the second profit making financial institution in the country.
He said the interactive session was being organised every year with the aim of charting with their customers for possible solutions that would enhance proper operation of the bank, adding that they wanted to see that the bank was ranked among the first three banks in Africa.
Responding to questions from their customers, Mr. Ejiofor said the bank was working hard to open more branches across the country and that they have two ways of reaching customers – using physical presence and channels.
The Board Chairman of UBA Sierra Leone, Mrs. Emerica Karefa-Kargbo, congratulated the Managing Director of UBA Sierra Leone and team for their wining of two excellent awards as “Best Brand Bank of the year 2016”, and “Outstanding Business Leader of the year 2016.”
She said the bank was able to win the awards through hard work and good services to their customers.
The Nigeria High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Gladys Modupeola Quist-Adebiyi,said one thing she found very encouraging about UBA was that they always have quick ways of responding to customers concerns, whenever they were called upon.
However, many other customers expressed satisfaction over the bank and asked that they opened more branches across the country and that by so doing, their businesses grow.
The United Bank for Africa Plc is engaged in corporate, commercial and retail banking, trade services, cash management, treasury and custodial services. The Bank operates in three segments: Corporate Banking; Retail/Commercial banking, and Treasury and Financial Markets.
It Corporate Banking segment provides financial solutions to multinationals, regional companies, state-owned companies, non-governmental organizations, international and multinational organizations, and financial institutions.
The Retail/ Commercial banking segment provide commercial banking products and services to the middle and retail segments of the market. The Treasury and Financial Markets segment provides financing and risk management solutions, and advisory services to the corporate and institutional customers. This segment is also responsible for the formulation and implementation of financial market products for its customers. Its geographical segments are Nigeria, Rest of Africa and Rest of the world.