The Association of Rural Bank (ARB) Upper East Chapter held a 3rd annual and 4th biennial general meeting at maltaaba community bank Bongo. The ARB of the Upper East chapter is comprised of Maltaaba Community Bank, Naara Rural Bank, Buco Bank, Bessfa Rural Bank and Toende Rural Bank.
Mr Robert Akurigo Agene who was the chairman of the meeting gave an opening remark, by congratulating the branch manager, board members of the bank for organizing this programme. He however stated the importance of this meeting is to bring the banking services system to the doorsteps of our people in the Rural or Communities.
In a welcome address delivered by a representative of Dr Atintono Francis, the president of ARBs Upper East chapter, said not all workers in the industry were employed the same day, so he is therefore appealing to the young ones, to humble themselves and learn from the experienced ones, this will be visibly demonstrated in a staff training which the chapter plans to organize for all Rural Community Banks (RCBs) for this year. He again, stated that “it is true that the boards are mandated to manage the banks, but our success and failure depends on you the staff, so you hold our trust just as we do for the shareholders”.
Mr Alex Awuah, managing director of ARB Apex Bank Limited Bolga speech was delivered by Mr Mark Willie, Bolga branch manager.
“I convey a special felicitation of the management and staff of the ARB Apex Bank to all gathered here on this occasion, indeed Mr Chairman, there is no doubt the banks in our chapter so far have been well managed.” The boards, management and staff should therefore be congratulated for the good work they have done and continue to do within the Region.
He stated that the profits achieved by the banks in the chapter last year and other healthy financial indicators are sufficient evidence of the effective and efficient management of the resources of the banks. The banks have witnessed a phenomenal expansion in their operation in recent times.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Bessfa Rural Bank, Toende Rural Bank and Maltaaba Community Bank managed to open new agencies to fulfil their mandate of making financial services easily accessible to the banked and non-banked population of the Region and Ghana at large, that is in fulfilment of the country’s agenda of financial inclusion.
He further advised that while banks are anxiously about increasing profit levels, investment decisions should be taken in a planned manner so that they can maintain a good balance between liquidity and profitability. They should always remember that their first responsibility is to meet customers withdrawal needs when making investment decisions.
A report from a previous meeting of the chapter by a representative of the president of the chapter, Dr Atintono Francis.
The report stated that the current executives of the Upper East Chapter were elected in June 2019 and handing over was done in September of the same year. The executives planned to implement the activities for the 2020 and Covid-19 pandemic occurred leading to lockdown with its attendant problems and impacted on the global economic landscape and the RCBs in general.
Meetings at the council level were interrupted and other programs of the chapter, however, managed to organize three (3) meetings during the year and one cooperate governance training for member banks in the chapter.
The report further says that the current administration inherited an overspent budget forcing it to end the year by borrowing to an amount of Twelve Thousand Ghana cedis (GH₵ 12,000.00)
It says the executives carried out some renovation works on the office to give it a facelift and identity. Signboards were also erected featuring all the rural banks in the chapter and their head offices as a marketing tool and easy location of the offices.
In closing remarks, the chairman of the function thanked all especially the boards and management for the great honour done to him. He said the meeting has revealed how well the banks in the chapter have been doing and therefore encourage management and staff to continue working hard to maintain integrity and customers trust.
Source: Paulina Abebisa (Ag. District Officer ISD)
