The first indigenous commercial bank in the country, Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB), continued its 50th anniversary celebrations on March 10, 2023, with the recognition and presentation of awards to hundred customers in three categories in a well-attended event held at the Freetown Golf Club in the western part of the capital.
The three categories of customers that were recognized and presented with awards were the pioneers, loyalists, and most valuable players (MVP), respectively. The Pioneers are customers who established their accounts in the bank between 1973-the year the bank was established-and 1980.
The Awards for Pioneer Accounts were given to ten active customers in this category. Awards for Loyal Customers were given to twenty customers drawn from all the branches of the bank who were among the earliest to open accounts in these branches that are still active, while the MVP awards were given to seventy customers with whom the bank has the most mutually beneficial relationship.
The recipients of awards in the various categories were individuals, private business enterprises, government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), respectively.
The Director of Business Development, Moses C. Sesay, who welcomed guests and award recipients, emphasized that customers who had been with the bank through thick and thin for decades and believed in their services even when the country was unstable were those being recognized for the awards.
The director said that among their customers, they were able to identify and screen through to choose those deserving customers who continued to remain loyal to the bank. The shrewd Managing Director of SLCB, Yusufu Abdul Silla, averred that their Golden Jubilee Celebrations are a milestone and that no mistake was made in identifying the customers who were selected for the coveted awards.
The Managing Director further explained that the bank currently focuses on customer satisfaction and assured customers that the attitude of all staff in the bank and its branches is geared towards ensuring this is achieved.
According to Mr. Silla, SLCB is a success story for the citizenry, as the bank has not only survived for fifty years but is also currently the leading commercial bank in Sierra Leone with regards to its size and profitability. He therefore encouraged their valued customers to download the SLCB’s mobile app on the Google Play Store for ease of access to the bank’s various services.
The Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, Solomon Jamiru, who chaired the occasion, emphasized the importance of recognizing customers who had placed their trust in the bank to keep their money with SLCB over the last fifty years. The chairman said that though the bank has gone through many challenges, SLCB has been able to deliver to the citizens. On this note, the Deputy Minister recognized customers for turning the bank into one of the finest in the banking sector.
In his vote of thanks on behalf of the awardees, Dr. Julius Spencer, who opened an account with SLCB from his student days at Njala University in 1973 and therefore received a Pioneer Award, said the awardees appreciated the fact that the bank recognized the contribution that customers had made to the success of the bank and therefore called on the citizenry to support SLCB as the indigenous bank belongs to the people of Sierra Leone. Dr. Spencer showered praise on the past staff and management of the bank for a job well done and hoped that the current staff and management would continue to honour the legacy of their predecessors.
