Abuja: Chief Okechukwu Unegbu, a former President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), has emphasized the importance of professional training for bank staff in Nigeria. He expressed concerns over the current trend where banks prioritize profit over professionalism.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Chief Unegbu, who is also a former banker, highlighted that this shift towards profit-making at the expense of professionalism is detrimental to both the banking profession and the business itself. He proposed that banks collaborate with the CIBN to facilitate training aimed at enhancing integrity, knowledge, and discipline within the industry.
Chief Unegbu pointed out that the lack of professionally trained staff has contributed to a rise in corruption and fraud within banks. This, he noted, has resulted in the mistreatment and disenchantment of customers by bank employees.
Drawing from his experiences, Chief Unegbu remarked on the pressing need for banks to invest in the professional development of their staff to foster growth in the banking sector. He criticized banks for treating staff as if they were daily workers without encouraging them to pursue professional careers.
He cautioned that the absence of professionalism has led to a loss of integrity among bank staff, urging banks to realign their focus towards professional training as a pathway to profit growth. He warned that the prevailing environment enables corruption and fraud, as untrained staff are more inclined towards making quick money without regard for the institution’s integrity.