By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr Henry Seriake Dickson, has called on residents of the state to embrace the window created by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for opening of bank accounts.
The pilot Account Opening Week of the apex bank is slated to run from Monday, December 2 to Saturday, December 7, 2019 in six states including Bayelsa State. Secretary to the State Government, Mr Kemela Okara, is expected to flag off the exercise in Yenagoa.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation in the state, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the Governor urged residents to take full advantage of the initiative to afford them the opportunity to own accounts and be financially included.
According to him, opening the bank accounts would allow them have access to insurance, funds to run their businesses as well as other benefits.
He commended the central bank for initiating the programme, saying the choice of Bayelsa among the pilot states was exciting and a great opportunity for the people.
“I want to encourage all Bayelsans to make full use of this opportunity because opportunities like this do not swing by always.
“The opening of accounts can be done with or without money and cuts across different Central Bank licenced banks. Therefore, those who do not have bank accounts should not let this chance slip by because this will set them up for greater access to government and other empowerment programmes.
“It is very important that every resident of Bayelsa is financially included which will boost business operations in the state and set the pace for greater economic development and industrialization,” the Governor was quoted as saying in the statement.
He further said, “Bayelsa is the only state in the South-South geo-political zone where the exercise will be carried out, which affords all indigenes of the state an opportunity for financial inclusion.
“This will prim them for benefits such as access to insurance, pension and other facilities that will make their lives better.”
Mr Seriake added that the CBN’s latest move on financial inclusion was in line with his administration’s efforts in ensuring that Bayelsans have access to funds to establish and grow their businesses.
He further added that it was in that regard that the Izon Micro Finance Bank was set up in each of the eight local government areas in the state, and that the testimony of it has been a stamp on the commitment of the Restoration Government to lift people out of poverty.
The Governor pledged the total support of his government to create an enabling environment to ensure the efficient execution of the account opening exercise across designated centres in the state.
Adedapo Adesanya