By PROVIDENCE OBUH

Unity Bank Plc has called on Nigerians to devote time to  effective planning, saying it will help in achieving set goals and objectives in the future. Meanwhile,  a female customer, Mrs. Bikudaimai Joura emerged star winner of the banks Aim, Save and Win Promotion.

Jaura, the lucky winner of the star price of a brand new Hyundai Verna car, hails from Borno State, operates  a savings account in the Maiduguri Branch of the bank, while 14 other customers from various branches across the country won bicycles, refrigerators and other consolation prizes.

Speaking at the bank’s first national draw of the promo in Abuja, the Executive Director Operations, Mr. Ahmed Yusuf stated, “everyday Nigerians work extremely hard, the only difference between us and those who work hard and succeed better than us is because we don’t plan effectively. And that is exactly where Unity Bank comes in to say no.”

Yusuf said that the formation of capital can come from two sources, “saving from what you generate and support from institutions such as banks and stock market. Primarily, each and every one of us must first save because it is your capital that will enable you to grow and the best capital is the one which comes from your sweat.”

He said that the bank various package encourages customers to save, to help them plan well to achieve their desired goals, saying, “The packages include, general savings, double edge savings, business empowerment thrift account for small business, unity kids’ savings, holy trips accounts and target savings account.”

On the other hand, the Executive Director Central, Mr Tanko Mohammed, said that the promo was part of the banks effort to support all its customers.

Mohammed said, “this savings promo is one of the ways of demonstrating our mission of creating wealth for our stakeholders by encouraging savings and encouraging opportunities for investment.

“A situation when you invest, it will serve as catalyst for wealth creation, so this is our small way in trying to help increase the worth of our country,” Mohammed said.

However, a total of 9,637 qualifiers were drawn from all the branches of the bank across the nation, and segmented into five zones, comprising Lagos and West, North West, South, North East, and Central Zones.

There were 609 qualifiers from Lagos and West Zone, North West totaled, 2,690 qualifiers, South zone, 2,303 qualifiers, North East Zone, 1,114 qualifiers and Central Zone, 2, 911 qualifiers.

The draw which was moderated by National Lottery Commission was done in two rounds where fifteen lucky winners comprising of  three  from each of the zones emerged in all in the first round, while in the second round the star winner and fourteen other prize winners emerged.

There were three runners up with the first six runners which include Umar Hawar from Yenegoa Branch, Johnson from Oba Adesida  Road Akure branch, Dar Sheidu of Toll Gate, Kano branch, Augustina Obede of Okene Branch, Dahiru Rabiu of  Daru Road Branch, and Golgog Victoria of  Marina Lagos branch got a refrigerator each.

The second runners up which include Friday Ayegbe of Wukari Branch, Taraba state, Christian Onyemach of Wuse Market Abuja Branch, Efiong Etim Thomas of Ikot Ekpene Uyo Branch, Garba Audu Gayah of Nasarawa Branch and Nfom Okon Inuk of ikot Ekpene Branch got a bicycle each.

The third runners up include Mike Asare Bediako, mohammed Salisu Gombe of Lokoja Branch, and Alhaji musa Lawan of Biu road Gombe Branch went away with a flask and a Telephone each.