Sterling Bank Plc recently joined other corporate organisations to mark the World Clean-up Day (WCD) and the International Coastal Clean-up day at over 20 locations nationwide.
States where the exercise held, according to a statement from the lender, included Kaduna, Kano, Imo, Niger, Benue, Oyo, Enugu Ogun, Rivers, Kogi, Bayelsa, Osun and the Federal Capital Territory.
A statement explained that in Lagos, street and beach clean-up exercises were held at Sura Shopping Complex in Lagos Island and Kids Beach Gardens in Lekki, to mark the day.
Speaking at the occasion, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Sterling Bank, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, said cleaning the environment was beyond any single institution to accomplish.
He said it was a thing of joy to find that other institutions were also committed to the same journey as Sterling Bank.
Suleiman said, “It is also beyond cleanliness… it is about protecting the environment so that we have a better environment for those that will come after us.”
He said the bank was committed to the environment on a long-term basis, pointing out that the commitment starts from the way the bank encourages staff members to use and manage energy in the office.
He said the bank was also collaborating with state governments to keep their environment clean, saying the commitment is a continuous project that has many phases.
“We are currently in over 20 states of the federation but plan to be in all the 36 states and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over time.
“We are just waiting for the right partnership to enable that but more importantly, we plan to encourage corporate bodies to join us.
“It is not a question of one bank but that of corporate Nigeria joining hands to support the environment,” Suleiman said.
Also speaking at the event, the General Manager of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, said the governor of Lagos State had asked the agency to draw up a framework that would enable the state to tap into the carbon credit scheme of the United Nations (UN) and the World Bank.
He added that for every carbon footprint the state was able to reduce, it would get paid in cash, in kind or in collaboration.
Other corporate organisations that collaborated with Sterling Bank for the cleaning exercise included Green Hun Africa, F.A.B.E, tek experts, Bolt, DuPont, Digibrands and Clickatel, among others.
