The Lower Pra Rural Bank has reported a generally positive outlook on key financial indicators in the year 2020.

The bank, despite COVID-19 challenges, delayed and non-payment of loans and rising operational expenses, and increasing competition braced the storm and strategically repositioned itself for a favourable footing in the industry.

The bank's deposits increased from GH¢96,822,527 to GH¢129,686.552.89, lending activities rose to GH¢59,360,132.12 from GH¢56,058,368.15.

Investment increased from GH¢27,363,061.00 to GH¢57,069,285.00 a whooping 109 percentage increase.

Again, shareholders' funds amounted to GH¢12,270,314.60 as against GH¢11,130.435.30.

The bank's total assets are GH¢145, 582,885.75 with a profit after tax of GH¢1,278,137.55 in the period 2020.

Mr Isaac Kwamena Van-Ess, the Chairman of the Lower Pra Rural Bank, during the 33 Annual General Meeting with shareholders said the bank would continue to pursue prudent investment policies to maximize returns on shareholders funds.

He said the total investment in near-cash Securities as of December stood at 50.1 million cedis and urged shareholders to continue to purchase more shares for reasonable returns.

Meanwhile, the growth in total assets to GH¢145 million conformed to the bank's sustainable growth rate policy.

On corporate Social responsibility, the lower Pra Bank has supported generally in education with 1, 005 under scholarship.

Mr. Kojo Mattah, the Managing Director of ARB Apex Bank Limited, urged the bank to do more to continually improve upon their lots.

He said the advent of the COVID-19 has made it imperative for banks to put in the right structures to ensure sustainability in their operations.

Mr Mattah said the Apex Bank had studied emerging trends in the industry and prayed their members to become abreast, adopt the right technologies to deliver better services to their customers.

"I encourage all our banks to sign their customers to this important service road to enable them to enjoy the freedom of banking from the convenience of their phones.

...we will soon layout much-touted agency banking to bring more freedom to the valued customers of the Rural and Community banks and create more jobs through the recruitment of Bank Agents".

He, on the other hand, urged all banks to strengthen their physical security systems to ward off armed attacks.