GCB Holds workshop for SME customers

Mr. Lawrence Adu-Mante, Managing Director of Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), has noted that certain economic developments in the country within the past year presented golden opportunities to small and medium sized entrepreneurs to grow. He told operators of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMEs) attending a one day workshop in Sunyani that the proposed construction of the Bui Dam, the reorganization of tomato factories, plantations and poultry in Brong Ahafo and the discovery of crude oil in the Western Region were such landmark opportunities. "This is the time for our SME customers and the GCB to reposition ourselves in order to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Bui Dam project and the others", Mr Adu-Mante added. The workshop was the sixth in a series organized by the Bank. It was designed to help build a stronger relationship between the GCB and its SME customers and also enhance collaboration with the informal sector. The theme for the Sunyani workshop was: "Towards Effective Management and Business Profitability". Mr Adu-Mante said apart from investing more than 500 million dollars into the Dam project and the creation of Bui City, SMEs in Brong Ahafo and other parts of the country stood to benefit from the emerging golden opportunities. "I want to see at least 10 of our SMEs emerge as strong businesses or corporate entities in the Bui Dam and City enclaves", Mr. Adu-Mante added. He noted the significant contributions of small, medium and micro enterprises towards growth. Mr. Adu-Mante said Ghana's leading and largest Bank with 135 networked branches had nurtured and continued to nurture local businesses for the economic development of the country. He said the GCB had identified and prioritized small and medium sized businesses in the agriculture, manufacturing, commerce and the services sectors and its SME division managed about 700 facilities with a current value of GHC27,996,947.28 Mr Adu-Mante said the GCB had established satellite offices in Kumasi and Takoradi to bring quality services and utmost relationship banking to customers. "This is our commitment to our customers and SMEs in particular", he said and announced that the GCB conscious of challenges and constraints in the banking sector had introduced new products and services to meet customers' needs. Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Regional Minister, called for adequate training of the bank's staff to show greater courtesy to customers. The Regional Minister urged the GCB to educate business entrepreneurs who did not have the acumen to do business with the bank.