Oyo State Partners Heritage Bank On N50bn Healthcare Fund
Heritage has seen as a social capital responsibility to partners with Oyo State government to reconstruct the health sector through an N50 billion Healthcare Endowment Fund.
The move is to make healthcare delivery affordable and accessible to all.
The MD/CEO of the bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo at the inauguration of the endowment fund for restoration and transformation of government hospitals and health centres in Oyo State, said as part of support, Heritage bank would adopt a health and maternity centre at the state teaching hospital, thereby expanding its capacity from 45 to 60 beds.
He also stated that apart from the existing structure that Heritage Bank would improve on, it would furnish the adopted hospital unit with necessary equipment required for efficient healthcare delivery to the people.
Sekibo said Heritage Bank would support the state in its bid to renovate the facilities available in all the health institutions in Oyo state.
He said, over the years, Oyo State had been one of the key customers of Heritage Bank; hence the need for the support for the State now that it wants to add value to all its health institutions.
A statement quoted him to have stressed that for every business relationship to be meaningful, it must be mutually beneficial to the parties involved; otherwise, such partnerships would not last.
“At Heritage Bank, we believe in this project and that is why we have come to associate with it even from inception. No doubt, the motive behind it is laudable and, on completion, it would make resourceful to the health of the citizens as well as other residents of the Oyo State.”
Earlier speaking at the occasion, the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who commended Heritage for their continuous support said the proceeds from the Endowment Fund would be used to further boost the healthcare delivery in the State.
He added: “Today marks a turning point in the history of healthcare delivery in Oyo State. Preservation of healthcare is a duty of everybody – the government and the governed.
“Our duty as a government is not only to preserve the health care infrastructure available but to also improve on and expand the existing facilities. Through doing this, the sector would be able to effectively meet the demand of the day.”
The governor mandated that the health care scheme is accessible by all, even as he noted that every resident, including parents of a pupil in public schools before their wards, can be admitted and civil servants must register with the sum of N650 being part of their contribution.
The governor noted that to some people, the state may appear too ambitious with the Endowment Fund. However, he explained that Oyo State was ambitious because it has what it takes a state to be the medical hub of the whole nation.
Sterling Bank Opens Summer Camp on Coding Language
As part of an effort to improve digital literacy among children, Sterling Bank Plc, the one-customer bank, has opened a summer camp in Lagos to expose kids to coding language during the summer holidays.
The fun-filled summer camp, which is being organised in collaboration with Audax Code School is aimed at improving digital literacy through coding among primary and secondary school students in Nigeria. The camp, which commenced on August 7 will end on the 18th.
Speaking on the summer camp initiative, Chief Marketing Officer, Sterling Bank, Mr. Henry Bassey said that the Bank is keen to play a significant role in bridging any gap in the digital skills of Nigerian children and to empower them and their teachers in the science of coding because coding is the language of the future.
Bassey said: “At Sterling Bank, we are interested in activities that will foster creativity and critical thinking. We have ensured that learning at the summer camp will take place in a fun and collaborative environment so as to encourage many of them to take up careers in information and communications technology (ICT).
“The children will also be exposed to aspects of our Sterling Environmental Makeover (STEM) programme which seeks to promote environmental sustainability, good sanitation and hygiene, among others.”
He listed some of the modules to be covered at the camp as introduction to programming with python, web application development with Python, beginner web development, basic computer fundamentals and digital marketing/social media.
Sterling Bank is at the forefront of educating young Nigerians on the importance of saving and investing. In 2016, the Bank organised financial literacy trainings for children by staff volunteers across its network under the Employee Volunteer Programme.
In addition, 1,500 students were taken through the rudiments of financial literacy during the Financial Literacy Day on March 12, 2016.
Sterling Bank also distributed 4,000 copies of a book: My Little Money Book to about 600 schools pan- Nigeria.
