Asantehene lauds GCB Bank for 70 years milestone

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has commended GCB Bank PLC for providing essential banking services in the country’s banking fraternity since its establishment in 1953.

“GCB Bank has, indeed, served the nation since Gold Coast.

Then known as the Bank of Gold Coast, and later became Ghana Commercial Bank and now GCB Bank PLC,” he recalled and added that its seven decades of service to the people was exceptional.

Otumfuo gave the commendation when a delegation from the bank paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, as part of activities marking the 70th anniversary of the bank.

The anniversary, which was launched on August 2, this year, is on the theme: “70 Years of Providing Unrivalled Financial Solutions Towards the Socio-Economic Development of Ghana”.

The delegation, led by the Board Chairman, Daniel Tweneboah Asirifi included the Managing Director, Kofi Adomakoh, the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) in charge of Finance, Socrates Afram, and DMD, Operations, Emmanuel Lamptey.

The rest were Alhaji Yakubu Adam, Dr Stephen Amoah, both board members, the Executive Head, Wholesale and Investment Banking, Sam Aidoo; the Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, Eric Coffie; the Head of E-Banking, Emelia Sackey, and the Ashanti Regional Manager, George Ackorful.

Help grow economy

Otumfuo Osei Tutu urged the bank and other financial institutions to contribute to industrialising and growing the economy.

The Asantehene, who in his private life worked in the financial services industry, said ‘selling money’ to the government to reap bountiful profits was an easy approach to banking which in no way helped to develop a country.

“Banks must focus on lending on long term to businesses and industries,” Otumfuo Osei Tutu stressed.

Such an approach, he argued, would stimulate job creation, reduce unemployment and add value to the nation's raw materials.

Health walk/screening

After the courtesy call on the Asantehene, the bank held a health walk and health screening exercise in Kumasi as part of the year-long anniversary which would be climaxed in Accra in January, next year.

Led by the leadership of the bank, staff and some customers of the bank in GCB branded T-shirts walked through the principal streets of the Kumasi metropolis and later converged on their regional office where participants were screened and provided with free mediation where necessary.

GCB’s commitment

In an interview, Mr Adomakoh told the Daily Graphic that the bank had remained steadfast in fulfilling its mandate as the go-to financial partner for industry, commerce and the Ghanaian people for the past seven decades.

On the occasion of the bank’s 70th celebrations he said the bank had implemented one of its anniversary heritage initiatives dubbed “GCB Greens Ghana for life” or “3G-4-Life” which would see GCB contribute 7,000 trees to support Ghana’s tree population as its contribution to the fight against climate change and secure a sustainable environment.

In spite of the constantly changing landscape, he said GCB remained committed to innovation, keeping pace with modern trends and technological advancements.