pg 25 extra

pg 25 extra

Access Bank donates to UNICEF towards national dev

From Sunday Michael Ogwu, Lagos

Access Bank Group has donated N10 million to UNICEF towards reaching out to and highlighting the plight of vulnerable children, orphans and internationally displaced persons.

This is part of the bank’s continued support of UNICEF along with 5th Chukker as it hosted the ‘Access Bank Polo Day’ at the Guards Polo Club, Windsor, United Kingdom over the weekend.

The annual polo event is the climax to the high-profile Access Bank/UNICEF Charity Shield Polo tournament, which is in its ninth year and was chaired by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II.

Emir Sanuai II thanked the bank for its supports for the UNICEF campaign, children, orphans, displaced people and its drive for socio-economic development of the nation.

Based in Kaduna, the event is the biggest charity polo tournament in Africa and stimulates support for the work of the UNICEF / ACCESS Bank initiative across the African continent. The donation will also aid UNICEF in its campaign against HIV/AIDS among Nigerian children.

Since the UNICEF/ACCESS Bank initiative was started, it has rebuilt two schools in Kaduna and kept more than 8,000 students in continuous education, while at the same time developing new school blocks and a computer literacy building all in a more secure and friendly school environment. The communities surrounding the schools are being supported with bore-holes for water, and sewing and grinding machines to secure employment and stimulate economic and social development.

Access Bank’s group managing director/CEO and chairman of The Access Bank UK Limited, Mr. Herbert Wigwe noted that the bank is supporting the Fifth Chukker UNICEF Initiative as a way of aiding the socio-economic development of the country.

Hear him: “We are conscious of our role as a change agent in Nigeria that can help institute socio-economic development through responsible business practice and environmental considerations.