Speaking at the ceremony last Thursday, the Managing Director of the bank, Philip Owiredu, said they found it exciting that they had been able to extend their services and products to northern Ghana after the bank moved into retail banking.

He stated that the bank, which started operations 35 years ago, had started expanding its footprints to other parts of the country, saying “we intend to continue with the branch expansion programme to scale up the bank’s branches to about 40.

“Currently, work is ongoing on the construction of other branches and very soon, the works would be completed for us to begin operations in the remaining branches to bring banking services to the doorsteps of the people.”

Mr Owiredu stated that financial services had a lot of impact on the economy and that the bank thought it wise to open the new branch in Bolgatanga to support the growth and development of the local economy.

He said the bank was in the regional capital to partner the people to deepen financial inclusion for their mutual benefit, adding “as a bank, we will provide the needed support to all categories of persons to boost the local economy.”

The Group Head, Consumer and Retail Banking, CalBank PLC, Peter Fordjor, said the new branch had been opened despite a host of existing banks in the town, primarily to provide key services to customers.

He added that since women owned more than 40 per cent of businesses in the country, the bank has set up a specialised unit to support the growth of women owned businesses, stressing “we do this through capacity building to expose them to digital tools and services to enable them expand their businesses”.

Innovative products

The Municipal Chief Executive for Bolgatanga, Rex Asanga, said for the banking sector to thrive, there was the need for a continuous role out of innovative products and services to address the principal needs of businesses.

He stated that apart from banks supporting the growth and sustainability of a robust economy, the sector complimented the government employment generation efforts by creating jobs for teeming graduates to earn a living.

In another development, the bank, as part of the ceremony, donated personal protective equipment to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital to enhance healthcare at the facility.

The items included 20 boxes of isolation gowns, nine boxes of face masks and seven boxes of face shield.

Presenting the items, Mr Owiredu said the move formed part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility towards improving the health needs of the people to assist the hospital offer quality services to the patients.

Receiving the items, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Aiden Saanwie, thanked the bank for the support, saying it was difficult for the hospital to get medical consumables for use.