By Sorie Fofana.
Allegation of sexual harassment in a job place is a serious matter. When Mrs. Margaret Davies of Rokel Commercial Bank alleged that she was being sexually harassed and intimidated by her boss, the Managing Director of Rokel Commercial Bank, Dr. Walton E. Gilpin, the bank’s Board of Directors appointed a special committee of four non-executive Board members to investigate the allegation.
The ToR (Terms of Reference) for the special committee among others insisted that, “The committee should ascertain the veracity or lack thereof, and report to the Board of Directors accordingly”.
The Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone had directed the Board of Rokel Commercial Bank to set up an investigating committee to look into the allegation of “sexual harassment and job place intimidation of the Legal Adviser and Company Secretary, Mrs. Margret Davies by the Managing Director, Dr. Walton Ekundayo Gilpin”.
During the course of the investigation, Mrs. Margaret Davies retracted her allegation of sexual harassment. She claimed that the MD was in the habit of questioning her competence as a lawyer. She also claimed that, the MD was (is) in the habit of shouting at her.
Before this matter went as far as to the Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone (the regulator of the banking sector), Mrs. Davies had failed to convince the MD to recommend her for promotion to the rank of Director.
According to reports, the MD did not find Mrs. Davies suitable for promotion to the enviable position of Director. Mrs. Davies’ alleged ill feeling for the MD emanated from that point.
The MD’s determination to split the position of Legal Adviser and Company Secretary was voted down by the Board of Directors on the grounds that the MD did not give any convincing reason for his decision to split the two positions held by Mrs. Margaret Davies.
The 4-member special investigating committee comprising Mrs. Haja Ramatulai Kamara (Dr. Wurie), Mrs. Marcella Jones, Mr. Sabieu Conteh and Mr. Andre Hope are supposed to have submitted their findings and recommendations to the Board since last Thursday 17th March, 2022.
No With-Hunt
Dr. Walton Ekundayo Gilpin took over as Managing Director of Rokel Commercial Bank in July 2017, barely a year before the SLPP came to power in April 2018.
It is a well-known fact that Dr. Gilpin was not a registered member or even supporter of the SLPP prior to the 2018 elections. It is even likely that in the 2018 Presidential election, he did not vote for the SLPP Presidential candidate, Dr. Julius Maada Bio.
But, when the SLPP came to power (almost four years ago) Dr. Gilpin was never sacked as Managing Director. He benefitted greatly from President Bio’s inclusive governance policy and broad-mindedness.
There are several people holding important positions in this government that did not even vote for President Bio. Even in the Cabinet, some of them were never seen during SLPP rallies. But today, they are in the Cabinet of President Bio. Thanks to the President’s magnanimity and policy of inclusive governance.
Social media reports that Dr. Ekundayo Gilpin was being hounded out of office because he is not a member and/or supporter of the SLPP are erroneous, vexatious and totally misleading.
Remarkable Accomplishments
Whether one likes it or not, Dr. Ekundayo Gilpin has taken Rokel Commercial Bank to higher heights. He inherited the bank in 2017 with a written loss of about Le100 Billion. The bank’s shareholders had become cynical about the prospects of making the bank competitive when Dr. Gilpin took over in July 2017.
Dr. Gilpin fought very hard to transform the bank from a loss-making to a profit-making institution. He has raised staff morale, given visibility to the bank by making it more competitive, he has introduced digitalization in the bank and increased the reach of the bank to enhance financial inclusion and financial access.
By the time Dr. Ekundayo Gilpin came to the bank, there were only twelve branches across the country. Today, through hard work, fortitude and determination the bank has twenty branches and outlets across the country.
In 2021, after several years, the bank for the first time paid about Le6.5 Billion to the Government of Sierra Leone as dividends.
The Way Forward
If it is discovered that indeed the MD sexually harassed (although the word ‘sexually’ has been recanted by the accuser), he cannot continue in that role. He must be replaced with immediate effect.
But based on drip-drip revelations from the investigating committee, it appears as if the MD will be cleared of sexual harassment but reprimanded for the lesser accusation of harassment by way of trying to get Mrs. Davies to pull her socks up.
The long and short of it all is that, nobody should try and play politics with the survival of an institution as important as the Rokel Commercial Bank.
Let us allow the bank to continue to grow under the leadership of those who have removed it from its dismal state to its current state of a modern banking institution.
Rokel Commercial Bank should not be allowed to die as a result of vicious infighting and selfishness. Period!
