Mr Ernest Ebi, the bank’s Chairman, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the sidelines of CGRS certification ceremony by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Convention on Business Integrity (CBI). Fidelity Bank Plc has expressed optimism that the Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS) certification of the bank and its directors will boost investors’ confidence and enhance business opportunities.Mr Ernest Ebi, the bank’s Chairman, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the sidelines of CGRS certification ceremony by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Convention on Business Integrity (CBI).Ebi said that the bank would leverage on the gains of the certification to strengthen business opportunities to ensure maximum returns to its stakeholders.According to him, the CGRS will open a lot of business opportunities for the bank.He said the bank would not rest on its oars.“You know the beautiful thing about this certification is that it boosts investors’ confidence in the bank, because when they know that you have been through this process, there is a lot to gain.“Going through the test itself brings out a lot of issues about corporate governance, investor relations, among others.“So, for eleven directors to go through this process, it is going to be a great morale booster for us and will encourage a lot of investors to look to our direction,” Ebi said.He said that the bank would maximise all available business opportunities by engaging investors for desired growth and development.The chairman said that capital, risk management and corporate governance are three things upper most in the minds of the bank’s board and management.He explained that the bank would remain committed to good corporate governance practices for competitiveness.NAN reports that Fidelity Bank and its directors were among 35 companies and 437 directors that made over the 70 per cent threshold for CGRS process.Some of the bank’s directors that were honoured with Fiduciary Awareness Certification Test (FACT) which is a key component of the CGRS are: Mr Adeyeye Adepegba, Mohammed Balarabe, Robert Nnana-Kalu and Mr Alex Ojukwu.Others are: Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo, the bank’s Managing Director; Mr Kayode Olowoniyi, Mrs Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Mr Nnaeto Orazulike, Mrs Chijioke Ugochukwu and Umar Yahaya.
