Photo Caption: UBA’s Executive Director, North, Ibrahim Puri; Vice Chancellor, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), Prof Abdullahi Abdu Zuru; the bank’s GMD/CEO, Kennedy Uzoka; Secretary to the State Government, Prof Bashir Garba; and representative of the Sultan of Sokoto, Sarkin Yaki Biaji, Alhaji Kabiru Usman, at the commissioning of the pedestrian bridge built and donated to the university by UBA Foundation, on Monday.

The United Bank for Africa Plc on Monday commissioned and handed over a pedestrian bridge constructed by UBA Foundation, its Corporate Social Responsibility Arm for the use of students of the Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto State.
The N13m bridge was commissioned by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, is coming over four decades after students of the institution, especially those living off-campus had experienced difficulty connecting the campus as the area was impassable, especially during rainy season.
The bridge is in fulfillment of a promise made by the bank’s chairman, Tony Elumelu in August 2017, at the National Dialogue Series organised by the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the school, when he acceded to a request by the students to come to their aid.
At the opening ceremony of the newly constructed bridge, the UBA GMD, Kennedy Uzoka expressed delight at the prompt completion of the project and reminded the students that UBA remained committed to easing the daily challenges of the citizens, and especially students living within and beyond its areas of operations.
The bank’s core values of excellence, enterprise and execution – is aimed at putting the customers and society first, a situation he said prompted the intervention, adding that customer satisfaction and giving back to the people were focal points for the bank and the UBA Foundation.
According to Uzoka, “as an institution, we are passionate about giving back to society through UBA’s Foundations’ components: Empowerment, Education and Environment. This construction falls under the area of education and environment. We want to be a role model with uniqueness not by coincidence but by physical commitment ‎and strengthening of our good will in advancing the course of humanity through our foundation. We have been doing this over the years by sponsoring essay competitions and indigent students to institutions across African countries where we operate.
“We believe in meritocracy, industry, entrepreneurship and mentorship of young students to become good ambassadors of the country in their endeavours,” he added.
Also speaking, Governor Tambuwal, who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Prof Bashir Garba commended Elumelu, the bank and the UBA Foundation for the gesture that adds value to the institution.
He urge other stakeholders to emulate the gesture, noting that education in itself is capital intensive and requires the participation and support of corporate stakeholders to succeed.
Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Abdullahi Zuru said the philanthropic gesture as built hope and strengthened the value-adding relationship between the institution and the youths.
He assured that the project is vital to the day-to-day movement of students for their daily academic and other extracurricular activities, thanking God that “UBA heeded our call and came through for us in a big way. It is now the shortest way for our students particularly now. We deeply appreciate Elumelu and the UBA family. The edifice which has side lights will serve us in no small way.”
A statement by the banks aid UBA Foundation has in recent past intervened in the infrastructure development of universities across Africa, donating ICT centres, hostels, recreational parks among many others. Beneficiaries of such interventions include Universities of Ilorin, Benin, Lagos, Ekpoma and many others.