Keystone Bank Limited has commissioned an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) gallery that was specifically built to accommodate the physically challenged persons in the society.Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Lagos, Executive Director, Operations and Technology, Keystone Bank,Mrs. Yvonne Isichei, said the bank decided to locate the ATM gallery at its Maryland branch because it is a very busy metropolitan area.
She explained that the bank introduced the ATM gallery as part of its corporate social responsibility, which according to her, “is all about touching the lives of people to demonstrate Keystone Bank’s commitment to financial inclusion as a developmental goal; as well to align with goal of sustainable banking, which is all about being conscious of the needs of those around its environment.”
She noted that some bank customers experience some difficulties using ATMs especially the physically challenged. “We want to make financial services accessible. Financial inclusion is about encouraging everybody, taking it near the people as much as possible. It is about our channels and their workability. It is supposed to make life easier,” the Keystone Bank Executive Director explained.
She noted that the level of financial inclusion has continued to grow, expressing optimism that the 2020 target of achieving significant improvement in the level of financial inclusion would be met with structures such as the bank’s ATM gallery for the physically challenged.
Isichei explained: “We are happy to know that there has been an appreciable progress, but we still have a long way from achieving a 70 per cent financial inclusion, which is the objective of vision 2020.
“Keystone bank looked at these and so we are really happy that we recognise this need and in recognising it, we have provided a solution and that is why we are gathered today.”
“Keystone bank is here to launch the first of its kind ATM gallery that is wheel-chair friendly that indeed provides easy access for men and women, boys and girls, young and old, to be able to access and indeed be part of financial inclusion.
“We commissioned this gallery in line with our mission to deliver consistent superior performance and to be the preferred partner. We want to be the preferred partner to all segments of our customers base that we have, the young, the matured, the old and indeed at this point, noting the fact that there is a critical segment, the physically challenged.”
The Chairman, Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria, Mr Obioha Ononogbu, who was at the event, urged other banks to emulate Keystone Bank.
“The world is for everybody, you don’t have to exclude some people. The disabled should also have the opportunity to benefit from banking facilities,” he said.
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