By George M.O. Williams
As part of its Golden Jubilee Celebrations, the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB) recognized and presented awards to 100 customers on Friday, March 10, 2023, at a well-attended event held at the Freetown Golf Club.
Awards were presented to three categories of customers, namely: pioneers, loyalists, and most valued players (MVP).
Awards for pioneer accounts were given to 10 active customers who established their accounts in the bank between 1973 (the year the bank was established) and 1980.
Awards for loyal customers were given to 20 customers drawn from all the branches of the bank who were among the earliest to open accounts in these branches and whose accounts are still active, while MVP awards were given to 70 customers with whom the bank has the most mutually beneficial relationship.
Individual account holders, private business enterprises, government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), and non-governmental organizations were recipients of awards in the various categories.
Welcoming guests and award recipients to the event, the Director of Business Development, Moses C. Sesay, said that customers who had been with the bank for decades and believed in their services even when the country was unstable were those being recognized.
He added that among their customers they were able to identify and screen through to choose those deserving customers who continued to stay loyal to the bank.
The Managing Director of the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, Yusufu Abdul Silla, said that their 50th Anniversary Celebration is a milestone, adding that there was no mistake made in the customers that were selected for the awards.
He pointed out that the bank now primarily focuses on customer satisfaction and assured customers that the attitude of all staff in the bank is geared towards ensuring that this is achieved.
Silla pointed out that SLCB is a success story for all Sierra Leoneans, having not only survived for 50 years but also currently being the leading bank in the country, both in terms of size and profitability.
He promised that the bank would continue to be a leader through digital transformation. He therefore encourages all customers to download the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank’s mobile app on the Google Play Store for ease of access to the bank’s various services.
The chairman of the occasion, the Deputy Minister of Information and Communication, Hon. Solomon Jamiru, said that it was important to recognize customers who had placed their trust in the SLCB to keep their monies with the bank over the past 50 years.
He mentioned that the bank has gone through many challenges but has been able to deliver to the people of Sierra Leone. He recognized customers for making the bank one of the finest in the sector.
Delivering the Vote of Thanks on behalf of the awardees, Dr. Julius Spencer, who received a pioneer award for having maintained his account since it was opened in 1978, said the awardees appreciated the fact that the bank recognized the contribution that customers had made to the success of the bank and called on all Sierra Leoneans to support the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank as it belongs to the people of Sierra Leone. He commended the staff and management of the bank over the years for a job well done and hoped that the current staff and management would continue honouring the legacy of their predecessors.