By Dipo Olowookere
The management of Heritage Bank has refuted news reports making the rounds that one of its Executive Directors, Mrs Mary Akpobome, has been suspended from the bank.
It was alleged that the experienced banker was sent on an indefinite ‘loan recovery suspension’ because of some bad loans she pushed through.
But Heritage Bank, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lagos and made available to Business Post, refuted the allegation, saying “Mrs Mary Akpobome remains a valued Executive Director of the Bank.”
Heritage Bank was reacting to a story published on an online news platform, SaharaReporters, which it titled, ‘Heritage Bank sends Ali Baba’s Wife on Loan –Recovery Suspension.’
In the statement, the management of the financial institution said it strongly disclaimed “all allegations made on the news blog that Mrs Akpobome or any other member of our board and management have in any way engaged in any fraud whatsoever.”
It explained that, “Financial institutions have credit policies governing its processes and management. These policies are designed and enforced to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the entire credit chain.”
“Heritage Bank has never been controlled by any one individual or ‘powerful’ individual(s) as deceitfully stated by Sahara Reporters.
“Heritage bank is a legal entity, and like any other public liability company, is managed by an efficient management and board accountable to all its stakeholders,” the bank stressed.
“We find the insistent and vehement attacks particularly by Sahara Reporters appalling, malicious, unprofessional and unethical.
“Consistent with our core values, we are resolutely committed to strict adherence to regulations and to our service contract with all our stakeholders,” the statement said.
Modupe Gbadeyanka 
Aduragbemi Omiyale