This initiative is intended to alleviate the challenges
being faced by the affected communities and also as a part of its corporate
social responsibility.
Speaking on the donation, DBN Managing Director, Tony
Okpanachi said that the posture of the Bank which is anchored on giving back to
the society in which it operates, motivated the Bank to present the donations
as part of its corporate social responsibility.
He added that the current gesture is aimed at sustaining
previous efforts by the Bank to support the cause of the displaced persons,
widows, and to rehabilitate victims of insurgency.
According to him, “Beyond our mandate of providing access to
finance to MSMEs to stimulate economic growth; the Bank decided to come
together to extend a helping hand to these beneficiaries by providing relief
materials to the economically challenged in Keana- Nasarawa, Madagali- Adamawa,
and Bakassi in Cross River states.
”We hope that this little gesture will go a long way in
addressing some of the challenges being faced by the beneficiaries, especially
women in these communities.’’
Okpanachi further stated that the Bank intends to sustain
this support program going forward.
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, represented by
his Chief of Staff; Prof. Maxwell Gidado SAN, commended DBN for the support
towards IDPs in Madagalli, Adamawa State.
Gidado emphasized that it will help alleviate the sufferings
of victims of insurgency in the North East especially, during these
festivities’ seasons.
Also, the Honorable Commissioner for Woman Affairs, Nasarawa
State, Hajiya Halima Jibrin commended DBN for this initiative. “DBN has heard
the cries of our vulnerable widows and has come to provide succor at a time
that is meant for showing love and being our brothers’ keepers,” she said.
Likewise, Prince Eyadim Eyadim, Chairman, Bakassi Local
Government Area, while commending the initiative said: “DBN has touched the
lives of widows and vulnerable, who have been forced to live as refugees due to
the unrest faced in Bakassi in the past.”
He appealed to the bank to include the people of Bakassi in
its future capacity building and financial literacy programs.
The Development Bank of Nigeria Plc is a collaboration
between the Federal Government of Nigeria, and renowned international
development partners. Its mandate is three-fold; provision of access to finance
for Nigeria’s underserved Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, provision
of Credit Guarantees to its partner financial institutions to encourage them to
lend to small businesses and capacity building for participating financial
institutions and MSMEs.