The Bayelsa state government has indicated interest in partnering Heritage Bank Plc on youth empowerment and sport development.
The deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo disclosed this during a courtesy call with the commissioner for Youths and Sports, Daniel Igali and others on the management of the bank, at Heritage’s head office in Lagos recently.
Ewhrudjakpo expressed the State government’s readiness to collaborate with Heritage Bank to empower youths and develop sports at all levels with the intent to put measures in place to play-up their socio-economic wellbeing as well as for the identification and development of budding talents.
He also commended Heritage Bank for its pivotal role in enhancing youth development and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit for economic growth.
“We believe with that, there is going to be first, removing our youths from drugs dependency and we are also using them to win. We really want to see how Heritage Bank can partner with us or support of which we have adequate publicity,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Ewhrudjakpo affirmed that governor Douye Diri-led administration would do everything within its reach to foster a mutually beneficial partnership.
Whilst responding, the executive director of the bank, Jude Monye, who welcomed the delegates, assured the deputy governor of Heritage’s readiness to support the Bayelsa on youth empowerment and sport development.
He noted that, the bank’s feats in empowering young Nigerians and sport development showed it has strong desire towards developing and positioning youths to become world-class citizens equipped and ready to be absorbed into an increasing competitive professional skills and endeavours.
Monye further disclosed that his bank has been at the forefront of supporting good courses involving youth and sport, whilst reiterating the bank’s MD/CEO, Ifie Sekibo’s readiness to partner Bayelsa state government.
“On behalf of the CEO and the Board, I want to say, we will support the course of Bayelsa State as far as sports in concerned. Whether it is wrestling, athletic, football, soccer, we will be part of it,” he assured.
The ED added that, “we have always supported good courses; we are a small bank and relatively new. We will support the Bayelsa state government because we want to see the youth brought out of drug peddling and drug consumption to where their life can be useful.”
He recalled that, when it concerns youth empowerment and sport development, the bank had carved a niche in collaborating with public and private organisations, especially, state governments such as Lagos, Rivers state, Ibadan amongst others, to build a culture of sports together with the formal education and entrepreneurship in a bid to secure the future of the teaming population.
Monye further noted that the drive to continue in the support of youths was to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.
