The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has indicated that pan-African Banks such as Zenith Bank which is operating in several places on the continent, and in ECOWAS region, are the institutions that are going to bring the continent together.
He mentioned that these Banks has the tendency of bringing the integrated, united West Africa and Africa that,he believes, is the platform for the future prosperity of the people.
The President made this known on Monday, 4th December, 2017, when he commissioned the new headquarters of Zenith Bank, at Ridge, in Accra.
He applauded the contribution of Zenith Bank to the deepening of financial intermediation in the country and described it as a pan-African Bank worthy of encouragement and support.
President Akufo-Addo stated that “what is going on here [at Zenith Bank] ticks of so many boxes that are important to me, and I thought I should come here and show my solidarity with what is going on here.”
He also indicated that, in the example of Mr Jim Ovia, founder of Zenith Bank, “We have, first of all, the example of a dynamic entrepreneur, who has built this company, which has gone global. It is in South Africa, England, China, and several places in Africa.”
He continued, “The initiative and sense of risk-taking and entrepreneurship that Zenith Bank represents is what, I believe, will drive our country and our continent forward. We need many more Jim Ovias. The more the merrier.”
President Akufo-Addo also congratulated Zenith Bank for “paying attention to such an important, other aspect of our development that is the education of our young people. This scholarship to Ashesi University is a tremendous initiative, and I applaud him very much for it.”
The President assured the bank of Government’s maximum support, and wished all those associated with Zenith Bank the best of luck in the coming years.
The CEO of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, said the opening of the Bank’s head office will create a whole new conducive atmosphere of doing business in the country and that in the whole of Africa, Ghana is the best place to do business after Nigeria.
He said all the bank’s branches are being managed by capable and committed Ghanaians.
He also expressed great satisfaction at the privilege Zenith Bank has to contribute to the economic growth of the country and to add to the best means of doing business in Ghana.
On her part also, the Board Chairman of Zenith Bank said the Bank has over the years deliver positive contribution to the banking economy of the country and has made significant milestone since its establishment in 2005.
She averred that their success was guided by the Bank’s vision of providing prompt, flawless and innovative product and services in the Ghanaian banking industry which allowed them to see exponential growth of establishing 35 branches across Ghana.
She added that customers have been the bedrock of the Banks’s success stories and the Bank will continue to provide best banking service for the people of Ghana.