Celebrating Silver Jubilee… Rokel Bank Embraces Grassroots In Its SME Development Programme
As part of activities marking the commemoration of the Bank’s Silver Jubilee, the Managing Director of Rokel Commercial Bank, Dr Walton Ekundayo Gilpin, and some members of staff, were at the Salad Ground Market to hobnob and discuss potential business partnerships with petty traders. RCBank’s visit to one of the busiest markets in the Central Business District is a testament of its commitment to strengthen and expand its Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) development programme, which was launched in 2021 and has significantly impacted small scale businesses in Sierra Leone.
The RCBank team also visited the motorbikes and Kekeh park at the busy Dwarzak intersection to market the banks digital payment systems – using QR Codes as well as the Rokel Simkorpor mobile payment application. Consequently, Kekeh riders, Okada riders and other small businesses like cookery shops will be receiving payments for their services through these digital platforms. A pilot phase involving several Keke drivers has been completed. At both venues, MD Gilpin narrated the bank’s vision to promote small businesses as major contributors to national economic growth.
In another development, 157 employees with long and unbroken record of service to the Rokel Commercial Bank were honored for their dedication, hardwork and loyalty on Saturday, 14th September 2024, at the new Freetown City Complex. The employees who have worked between 15 to 35 years, including those who served during Barclays Bank Plc and the period following the change of name to Rokel Commercial Bank after the transfer of ownership to the government and people of Sierra Leone.
There were emotional scenes inside the new City Hall, as the awardees, divided into three categories (based on the number of years they served) ascended a brilliantly decorated stage to collect their plaques with beautiful and inspiring citations.
Millicent Cole, a long serving female employee, who is also the first woman to attain the rank of a Director in the bank, recounted how the institution had gone through a very difficult period that was characterized by liquidity and solvency challenges and very low staff morale, among others. In spite of these challenges, the Director of Risk Management said the bank came back from the brink to reposition itself as a thriving, profitable and stable financial institution in Sierra Leone.
Managing Director, Dr Walton Ekundayo Gilpin, paid glowing tributes to the awardees, commending their dedication, hard work, loyalty and selflessness to the Bank. He called on all staff members to put their differences aside and exude positive energy, as they look forward to a more prosperous future with the bank.
“Let us convert our negative energies into positive energies, for it is not just the number of years you take, but the impact you make in the service of this bank and by extension, your country….” he said.
