Parents have been urged to invest the necessary time and resources in the development of their wards in order to help them be better positioned for opportunities in the future. This charge was given by the Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe at the graduating ceremony of Sunnybrook International School’s Class of 2021 recently.
Speaking to teachers, pupils, parents and other guests at the event, Onyeali-Ikpe who was the guest speaker, encouraged guardians to continuously make efforts towards engaging children in ways that will embolden and strengthen them as these are virtues that will prove invaluable throughout their lives.
She further stated that, “Children are the future of tomorrow, they say. This also means the tomorrow we will see is largely dependent on the intellectual, financial, and social prowess of the kids we raise today. This is why we at Fidelity Bank have continued to support children, especially with academic and financial education.”
It would be recalled that in commemoration of the last Children’s Day, Fidelity Bank doled out N150,000 to 62 Sweet Account (SWEETA) holders across the country. Designed for children between the ages of 0 and 17 years, the account boasts of several benefits such as a loyalty cash reward of N150,000 tagged School Fees Support.
Through this scheme, the bank assists parents with paying school fees for their wards. SWEETA, which can be opened with any amount, provides account holders with several perks including free back-to-school packages, education endowment up to 10 times the account balance and to a maximum of N1 Million, participation in monthly quarterly competitions, amongst others.
A renowned advocate for girl-child education, Onyeali-Ikpe also admonished parents to provide undivided attention to their daughters.
According to her, “I am a testimony of the importance of paying attention to the girl child. My parents focused on me and they made sure they gave me the best education as a child. That is what is playing out today. You need to give the girl-child a lot of support and focus so that they don’t get carried away by what is not important.”
Acknowledging the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, Onyeali-Ikpe charged the graduating pupils to keep focused emphasizing that, “Some of the children learn under very difficult circumstances but my advice is for them to keep focused. It will get be better and they should obey their teachers and parents and stay away from bad company”.
Since taking over the helms of affairs at Fidelity Bank Plc on 1 January 2021, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe has instituted several initiatives to position the Bank as a leading player in the Nigerian financial services sector.
