PAYNESVILLE – United Bank for Africa (UBA) Liberia has commissioned an ultra-modern branch in Paynesville City, outside Monrovia.
Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr. [email protected]
This facility, which officially opened on Saturday, December 15, 2018, is one of UBA’s standout facilities in the country.
According to the management, the move is to consolidate the bank as one of the trailblazers in the Liberia’s banking industry.
The new office of the bank is located at the ELWA Junction adjacent the Exclusive Supermarket in Paynesville.
The newly commissioned bank is headed young enterprising financial expert, Ms. Gwendolyn Allen as Manager.
The newest addition to the UBA assets brings to six, the number of branches in addition to several cash offices and automated teller machines (ATM) network in the country.
One of the bank’s board members, Dr. Wade Brownell, who performed the rite of officially cutting the ribbon to building, noted that the bank intends to deepen its operations in the country and attract a lot more of the unbanked into its fold.
UBA Liberia Managing Director, Lekan Balogun described the opening of the facility as the latest success of the bank and a landmark achievement.
He noted that the branch will serve the people in the area, including the ELWA, Rehab Communities and down to people commuting from the Roberts International Airport (RIA).
“I remembered this journey started in 2016, whenever you come visiting customers, the first complain you have is that why is it that UBA can’t expand its services further down to people living in such area like Paynesville; how come you’re not active in this area.”
“So, whenever our customers speak, we listen, because it is one of our guiding philosophies at UBA – customer first, so whenever our customers ask for something, we try as much as possible to meet that need,” Balogun said.
He described the opening of the bank as a dream come true, noting that it would not have happened without the support of loyal customers.
“I believe that the branch here is just a phase, because there will be many things to come,” he added.
Balog assured customers that within the next one month, there will be another dedication in Sinkor aisle. “We have a cash office at Royal Grand Hotel and we believe that the economy is expanding, the banking population is also expanding and we as a bank, we’re supposed to make customers comfortable in the banking environment.”
He also said the Sinkor cash office will be converted to a full fledge bank and will become operational by January, 2019.
On his part, D. Bouleigh Cooper, Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) Assistant Director for Supervision and Surveillance Regulation said, the establishment of UBA sub-branch at ELWA junction is welcoming.
He said the CBL values financial inclusion and branch expansion.
“We respect that and give UBA family our support. This, in my mind will accelerate economic growth and development within the Liberia’s financial system, thereby creating job opportunities for young people.”