Banking sector requires strong leadership, discipline — Fidelity Bank MD

Ghana’s banking sector requires strong leadership and discipline to build re­silience, absorb risks, and ensure long-term stability, the Managing

Director of Fidelity Bank Gha­na, Mr Julian Kingsley Opuni, has stated.

He emphasised that a robust banking and financial sector was crucial to restoring confidence among Ghanaians and strength­ening Ghana’s reputation within the global financial community.

Mr Opuni made these remarks at a press soiree organised by Fidelity Bank in Takoradi, on Friday, to enhance the bank’s relationship with the media in the Western and Central regions, on the theme “Partners for progress: Building a sustainable future together”.

“We recognise the media as a critical partner in ensuring stabil­ity in the banking and financial sector. That’s why we have initiat­ed this engagement, which will be extended across the country,” he explained.

Mr Opuni stressed that a disci­plined and stable banking sector was key to attracting more in­vestments, particularly in Ghana’s efforts to secure offshore funds for economic growth.

He also highlighted the im­portance of improving domestic savings to

strengthen liquidity and sta­bilise the banking sector, saying “fostering a strong savings culture among Ghanaians is essential for creating wealth and alleviating poverty.”

“Any small amount is a good start. Savings give individuals op­timism about the future. Having a clear goal for saving helps one stay on track despite other finan­cial temptations,” the Fidelity MD noted.

However, Mr Opuni observed that many Ghanaians preferred keeping their money at home rather than saving with financial institutions, and that, “This prac­tice makes it easy for individuals to spend money impulsively instead of growing their savings.”

To address this challenge, he suggested that financial insti­tutions intensified educational efforts to shift public perceptions and promote the benefits of savings.

Fidelity Bank’s Corporate So­cial Responsibility (CSR) initia­tives, he said, focused on youth employment, health, education, and agriculture.

The MD emphasised that Fidelity Bank, a wholly Ghana­ian-owned commercial bank, which gained universal banking status in 2006, was current­ly among the top 10 banks in Ghana.

“We provide investment bank­ing advisory services, portfolio management, and a wide range of financial products. Our vision is to become a world-class financial institution that delivers superior returns to all stakeholders. In the coming years, we aim to be among the top three banks in Ghana,” Mr Opuni said.

He stressed Fidelity Bank’s deep commitment to Ghana, stating that the bank prioritised initiatives that aligned with the country’s development and pros­perity, adding “What matters to Ghana matters to us. Our mission is Ghana.”

He highlighted that Fidelity Bank was the first in Ghana to in­troduce agency banking, a model authorised by the Bank of Ghana to ensure banking was more accessible by allowing people to open accounts within minutes.

Mr Opuni told journalists that in 2014, the bank started with just 24 agents, but today, it had expanded to over 8,000 agents across all 16 regions.

“We aspire to have the largest banking network in Ghana, and we are proud of what we have accomplished so far. However, achieving excellence requires a strong partnership with the me­dia,” he remarked.

 BY CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, TAKORADI

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