President CIBN, Mr. Segun Aina
By Obinna Chima
As part of efforts to strengthen the standard of professionalism, especially at the entry level in the banking industry, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has gone into partnership with Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria.
The President/Chairman of Council, CIBN, Mr. Segun Aina, made this remarks during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on linkage programmes between the institute and Polytechnics/Colleges of Technology in Lagos at the weekend.
The MoU involved four Polytechnics - Yaba College of Technology, Kano State Polytechnic, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo and the Polytechnic, Ibadan.
According to Aina, the move would position the banking industry to further enhance the country’s economic growth and development.
Aina said: “It is gratifying to note that the Linkage Programme, which the Institute started 14 years ago with some Universities in Nigeria has now been extended to the Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology which are also, a formidable and integral segment of the tertiary educational level in Nigeria. “This initiative, is in furtherance of the Institute’s statutory responsibility to determine the standard of knowledge and skill to be attained by persons seeking to become members of the banking profession’’ in Nigeria as enunciated in the CIBN Act No 5 of 2007.”
According to him, the essence of the CIBN linkage programme is to strategically integrate and equip all undergraduate students of banking and finance with required skill, knowledge and competency for advancement in their professional career.
“The programme is part of the commitment of the Institute towards redesigning and raising the standard of professionalism at all levels in banking and financial services.
“The institute being fully conscious of her core mandate has embarked on various initiatives and reforms aimed at improving the quality of its services and deliverables to all its members and stakeholders,” the CIBN boss stated.
In a related development, the CIBN in a statement at the weekend said it had concluded arrangement to hold a forum to address customers’ complaints in the banking industry.
The programme tagged “Complaints Management in the Nigerian Banking Industry,” according to the institute had been organised in Ibadan and Owerri and is also scheduled to hold in Abuja this Wednesday and Thursday.
“The programme, which is at the instance of the Sub-Committee on Ethics and Professionalism of the Bankers’ Committee, is aimed at instilling the culture of excellence in the management of consumer complaints in banks with a view to restoring banking public confidence as well as to forestall preventable risks and losses,” it added.