The Upper East Regional Minister, Ms Paulina Patience Abayage, has appealed to Rural and Community banks in the country to support President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo- Addo to achieve the Ghana Beyond Aid Vision.
The Regional Minister made the call during the 20th Biennial General Meeting of the Association of Rural Banks ARB-Ghana held in Bolgatanga. She told management of the various Rural and Community banks that, one of the ways they could support the government was to partner it implement its numerous flagship programmes.
The Regional Minister mentioned the Planting For and Jobs, the Rearing for Jobs, One District One Factory, One Village One dam among others as some of the areas that would need critical support from Rural and Community banks. She indicated that, if the government is supported to implement these pogrammes and projects, it would not only help make the country achieve its vision of Ghana Beyond Aid but would also help empower the rural folks who formed the bulky of the nation’s population.
Ms. Abayage commended the Rural and Community banks for contributing significantly to the socio-economic advancement of Ghanaians particularly the rural folks. The Regional Minister enjoined the Banks to set a new agenda in their operations to empower the rural communities to become self-dependent and self-sustaining. Ms Abayage who expressed worry about the spate of corruption in the Banking industry, entreated the management of the banks to work towards addressing such challenges so as to help protect the public purse ad help restore confidence in customers.
She emphasized that, if the Banks are able to achieve this goal , the benefit to their communities will not only be enormous, but would also help tremendously to push our beloved country, Ghana to a place of self-sustainability and self-dependence which is in line with Ghana’s transformational agenda specifically Ghana Beyond Aid. The Regional Minister further admonished Rural and Community banks that could not meet the capital requirement of Bank of Ghana to merge and stressed that the merger would not only lead to the creation of synergy to enhance their business performance, but would also help improve their purchasing and negotiation power.
The President of the Association of Rural Banks –Ghana, Dr Nana Boamah Akowuah, mentioned that currently there were 144 Rural and Community Banks with over 700 branch networks providing banking services throughout the country. He indicated that unlike before, Rural and Community Banks now were endowed with experience staff and Board of Directors as well as computerized and providing efficient and quality banking services to the Ghanaian populace.
The President, however, appealed to the government to respond swiftly to the Association petition submitted to it with regards to the reduction of corporate tax, and the revision of Corporate Governance Transactional Provision issued by the Bank of Ghana.
