The Managing Director and Chief Executive of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Yemi Adeola and star actress, Funke Akindele will this Saturday, take part in the Bank’s Quarterly National Cleaning exercise.

They will be joined by members of the Executive Management and other staff of the bank to clean Oyingbo market as part of its nationwide environmental cleaning exercise under the “Sterling Environmental Makeover” (STEM)series.

The purpose of the exercise according to a statement from the lender, is to promote clean environment and good health among Nigerians.

The exercise, which is in partnership with the officials of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) will hold simultaneously in Oyo, Delta, Enugu, Rivers, Ekiti, Kaduna, Abia, Ogun, Osun, Sokoto, Kano, Kwara and Plateau states in collaboration with the relevant regulatory agencies on environmental management.

The bank’s Executive Director, Finance & Strategy, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, said the bank came up with the exercise as part of its contribution to the promotion of healthy environment. He added that Sterling Bank would continually engage in initiatives that will protect the environment especially those that are connected to the protection of lives through its renowned partnership with relevant government agencies.

His words: “What we are doing this weekend in Lagos and 14 other states in the country is all about making impact that positively alters our environment for good. We want to keep on doing the small things while we plan the big audacious ones. Each time you join the street sweepers to clean the street, you are part of an unstoppable force to make our world a better place and that is what we want to achieve with this exercise”.

He noted that with STEM, Sterling Bank has succeeded in making a bold statement, “to show the whole world that we care for their wellbeing. Health is wealth and Sterling Bank as a responsible corporate citizen places a great value on human lives. This exercise would bring back the dignity in labour and the pride associated not only with cleanliness but also with cleaning. Like everything else with real meaning, it will be at the expense of something else, it will be a sacrifice”.

As part of its campaign designed to ensure a clean environment, the lender in the last five years has on a yearly basis, donated 25,000 units of reflective kits to LAWMA for street sweepers and highway managers in Lagos. This has however, been extended to other 15 states in the country.