News
Banks urged to offer more digital solutions to customers
President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Rev. Mrs Patricia Sappor, has urged banks to deepen their collaboration with the financial and technology (Fintech) organisations to enable them offer more digitised solutions to customers.
She believed a lot of banks had intensified their digital operations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic but there was still more to be done to improve efficient service delivery.
According to her, banks could reduce operational cost by employing innovative means of doing business, in addition to encouraging clients to patronise digital channels such as Mobile Applications, USSDs, Internet Banking, among others.
Speaking at a virtual seminar to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 on the banking sector, Mrs Sappor tasked banks and other financial institutions to “proactively stay in touch and build good relationships with their clients” and support them through difficult times.
“One of the key impacts of the current pandemic is the emphasis on social distancing and contactless payment options. The situation presents financial institutions with the opportunity for digital transformation both at the front and back office levels,” she said.
Increase partnership with technology firms, she noted, could result in “efficient service delivery, quicker turn-around time and improvement in overall service experience for customers.”
While urging banks to continue observing all COVID-19 protocols, she further urged individuals and entrepreneurs to develop a savings culture.
“Banks have had to re-strategise and re-prioritise projects with the influx of the COVID-19 pandemic. Banks can no longer go back to their old ways of operating since the needs and psyche of customers have changed significantly as a result of COVID-19,” Mrs Sappor noted.
She said procurement of PPE and other items for the wellbeing of staff and customers had, to some extent, increased the operation cost of banks, adding that the pandemic had also led to low deposits, non-performing loans, among other challenges.
“Shareholders may, therefore, experience low returns on their investments and some may not even receive dividends at the end of 2020 financial year,” she added.
The virtual seminar, hosted by Krif Media Limited, brought together players in the industry to deliberate on measures to handle the impact of the pandemic on the sector.
Rev. Kennedy Okosun, Executive Chairman of Krif Ghana Limited, also asked stakeholders to implement strategies to help protect financial institutions from the effects of the pandemic so they could continue to be the “engine of growth” for businesses.
Mrs Abiola Bawuah, Regional CEO of United Bank of Africasaid even though COVID-19 had hit the sector hard, it had presented various opportunities for “thinking outside the box and we must all learn lessons for future interventions.”
Mrs. Mary Brown, former Deputy Managing Director of Prudential Bank, in her speech suggested that banks must set up a “Special Credit Coordinating Room that will be responsible for selling and operationalising the Bank’s Credit Strategy in response to the crisis.”
By Spectator Reporter
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court for his role in a 2022 robbery at a mining site at Manso Akwasiso in the Ashanti South Region.
The convict, Dominic Ofori, also known as Fanta, was arrested on 16th February 2026 after years on the run. He pleaded guilty before the Bekwai Circuit Court to robbery contrary to Section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 Act 29, and was accordingly sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
On March 20, 2022, the Manso Adubia District Police received intelligence that a group of armed men from Manso Abodom were planning to attack a mining site at Manso Akwasiso to rob the owner of gold concentrate. Acting on the information, police mounted a coordinated operation and laid an ambush at the site.
At about 5:30 pm the same day, four-armed men arrived at the site, fired indiscriminately, and robbed the miners of their gold concentrate. The police team on surveillance intervened, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Three of the suspects, Abu Abubakar, Musah Latif, and Gideon Takyi, sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival at St Martins Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum. Dominic Ofori escaped at the time but was later arrested and put before the court.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to combating violent crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 45-year-old Isaac Boafo, also known as “Duabo King,” for allegedly publishing false news intended to cause fear and panic.
Police said the arrest follows a viral TikTok video in which Boafo claimed that four officers at the Central Police Station in Kumasi engaged in inappropriate conduct with commercial sex workers during night patrols in Asafo.
Officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate (Ashanti Region) apprehended Boafo after receiving intelligence about the video.
During questioning, he admitted to creating the video to attract views and engagement online, and acknowledged that he could not prove the allegations.
Boafo also admitted making comments about the President of the Republic for content purposes and could not defend those statements.
He has been formally charged and is in detention as investigations continue.
The Ashanti Regional Police have warned the public against publishing or sharing false information on social media, noting that such acts can cause fear, panic, and damage reputations.
They said anyone found engaging in similar conduct will face legal action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
