ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches-sentences huggingface dataset:
As institutions become more connected, our responsibility is not only to keep each institution sound, but also to ensure that the connections between them remain secure.
Building that architecture is a shared responsibility, and the Bank of Ghana stands ready to play its part.
I wish you fruitful deliberations and every success in your discussions.
Launch of Sustainable Finance Roadmap Remarks by Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama Governor, Bank of Ghana Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel | Tuesday, 30 June 2026 Honourable Minister, Fellow Regulators of Ghana's Financial Sector, Representatives of the International Finance Corporation, the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs, and the Sustainable Banking and Finance Network, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is my pleasure to welcome such a distinguished audience to today's event.
Your presence today highlights our shared commitment to advancing sustainable finance in Ghana and ultimately, contributing to global progress in this emerging field.
Today marks a truly momentous occasion for Ghana's financial sector, as we take a decisive step toward a more resilient and sustainable future for our nation.
Let me begin with the idea that runs through everything I want to say this morning.
Sustainable finance is increasingly central to financial stability, to long-term investment, and to economic resilience.
It is reshaping where global capital flows and what investors expect of financial systems.
A changing climate is one reason this work has become urgent, but it is not the whole of it.
Sustainable finance is also how we coordinate our regulation, and how we unlock new capital for Ghana's development.
I want to speak this morning about why sustainable finance matters for our financial system, what it asks of us as regulators, and the opportunity it opens for Ghana.
Where we are As Ghana strengthens its economic foundations, it is equally important that our financial system is equipped to support resilient and sustainable growth.
Part of that resilience means reckoning with a new kind of risk.
A changing climate now bears directly on financial stability, as recent flooding across Ghana reminds us.
Such risks do not stay in the environment; they travel into the financial system thro ugh the value of assets, the cost of claims, and the security of lending.
The instruments and structures of the past were not built for them and meeting them asks us to recalibrate how we supervise, how we price risk, and how we plan.
Indeed, while we cannot predict the future with certainty, we can shape it through the choices we make today.
That future will only become a reality if we are intentional in creating it.
It is now clear that climate change and other emerging sustainability challenges are no longer distant concerns.
They are realities that increasingly shape our economies, our businesses, and our financial systems.
Hence, responding to these challenges is not simply an option – it is a responsibility we owe to our nation and to generations yet to come.
Ignoring these evolving risks would leave our financial system vulnerable.
So, we have chosen a different path – one of foresight, innovation, and collaboration.
Certainly, the financial system which served us well in the past must continue to evolve to meet the demands of the future.
What this means for regulation In Ghana, financial stability is regulated across four sectors: banking, insurance, securities, and pensions, with each regulator overseeing a distinct segment of the financial sector and guided by its respective regulatory authority.
Together, these pillars form an interconnected system whose strength depends on coordination, collaboration, and a shared sense of responsibility.
But risks of this kind respect none of these boundaries, and a risk that moves across the whole system cannot be managed by any one institution acting alone.
Clearly, achieving a truly sustainable financial ecosystem goes beyond individual mandates.
It calls for coordinated, long-term collaboration among all relevant regulators, aligned around a shared goal.
To ensure that sustainable finance is fully embedded across Ghana's financial landscape, we must continue to deepen our partnerships, align our strategies, and act with purpose and consistency.
The Bank of Ghana’s Sustainability Journey: A decade of preparation What we mark today rests on a decade of deliberate work.
In 2015, the Bank of Ghana convened a multi -stakeholder committee, later formalised as the Sustainable Banking Principles Steering Committee, bringing together the Bank, the Ghana Association of Banks, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
In 2019, that work produced the Sustainable Banking Principles and their Sector Guidance Notes, designed to manage environmental and social risks, promote green and sustainable investment, and align financial intermediation with Ghana's broader development objectives.
All twenty-three chief executives of our commercial banks voluntarily endorsed them, collectively pledging to integrate sustainability considerations into their governance structures, risk management processes, and overall business operations.
This unified commitment marked a turning point, signalling the readiness of Ghana's banking sector to embrace sustainability not as an obligation, but as a strategic imperative.
In 2021, with the support of the International Finance Corporation and the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs, we built a standardised framework to measure compliance, and that compliance has risen steadily, reaching an industry average of 73 per cent as at September 2025.
And in 2024, we published a comprehensive four -year Strategic Plan on Sustainability and Climate-Related Risks, covering the period from 2024 to 2028 and designed to consolidate, deepen, and scale up our ongoing efforts, and issu ed the Climate -Related Financial Risk Directive, which strengthens the capacity of regulated financial institutions to identify, assess, and manage climate-related financial risks, and integrate these considerations into our supervisory and regulatory frameworks.
The sustainable finance roadmap: from initiatives to a system And that is what this Roadmap is for.
It takes work that has, until now, lived in different places and under different mandates, and for the first time provides a common framework through which Ghana's financial regulators can approach sustainable finance in a coordinated way.
It is anchored on three core pillars: (a) Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Integration; (b) Climate-Related Risk Management; and (c) Financing Sustainability.
These pillars reflect our shared vision of embedding sustainability at the heart of financial sector operations and decision-making.
Under each, we have set out practical steps for the respective regulators to take, so that what we describe this morning is not an aspiration, but a sequence of actions with owners attached to them.
These actions will strengthen our collective ability to anticipate emerging risks, respond proactively, and unlock new opportunities that support inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
And through this framework, we aim not only to strengthen the capacity of the financial sector to manage emerging risks, but also to unlock opportunities that drive long-term value creation for the economy.
Financing Sustainability is about mobilising private and institutional capital, developing green and blended finance, and positioning Ghana as a regional hub for sustainable finance.
But a roadmap, of course, is only as good as its implementation.
The launch is an important milestone, but implementation is where its true value will be realised.
What success looks like Sustainable finance is not only about managing risks.
It is also about positioning Ghana to access new pools of global capital, to finance critical infrastructure, to support the energy transition, to deepen our financial markets, and to strengthen long-term growth.
Our purpose as regulators has always been the safety and soundness of the financial system.
But soundness in this era means more than absorbing today's shocks.
It means positioning Ghana's financial sector as a leading destination for sustainable finance, attracting the domestic and international capital that a sustainable transition requires, capital that is increasingly looking for precisely the frameworks we are putting in place.
Done well, this is not a cost we carry.
It is a market we open: deeper acce ss to climate and development finance, a more resilient banking system, and a credible claim to leadership in sustainable finance across our region.
In this way, we do not merely regulate for stability; we actively shape a financial ecosystem that position s Ghana to fully leverage emerging opportunities within the global sustainable finance landscape.
Acknowledgements To the members of the Sustainable Finance Roadmap Committee, drawn from the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Ghana, the National Insurance Commission, the National Pensions Regulatory Authority, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Institute of Char tered Accountants, Ghana, and the Chartered Institute of Bankers: this Roadmap is your achievement, and the coordination it represents is exactly the discipline it now asks all of us to sustain.
To the International Finance Corporation, the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs, and the Sustainable Banking and Finance Network: your expertise and partnership have shaped this work from the beginning, and we value it greatly.
The roadmap we launch today is an important milestone, but its success will be measured by what we do next.
Let us therefore carry it forward with the same spirit of partnership that brought us here, and build a financial system that is more resilient, more competitive, and better prepared for the future.
Thank you, and God bless Ghana.
POWERING AFRICA’S DIGITAL ASSETS ECONOMY KEYNOTE ADDRESS by Dr.
Zakari Mumuni First Deputy Governor, Bank of Ghana At the Standard Chartered Digital Assets Summit Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, Accra Friday, 19 June 2026 The Chief Executive & Head of Coverage, Africa, The Chief Executive and Board of Standard Chartered Bank Ghana, Colleagues from the Regulatory Community, Captains of Industry, Innovators and Entrepreneurs, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
As I begin this morning, I would like you to imagine a young Ghanaian entrepreneur.
He runs his business from a smartphone.
His customers are in Accra, Nairobi, Lagos, London, and beyond.
Every day, he buys, sells, communicates, and receives payments across borders.
Technology has opened doors that his parents could scarcely have imagined.
Now, imagine asking him a simple question: “Do you feel protected?”
Protected when he receives payments.
Protected when he stores value.
Protected when he deals with platforms that operate across continents.
And imagine that after a brief pause, he responds with a question of his own: “Protected by whom?”
Ladies and gentlemen, that question captures one of the defining challenges of our generation.
Innovation is moving rapidly.
Technology is reshaping finance.
Digital assets are changing how value is stored, transferred, and exchanged.
Yet, institutions still have a responsibility to answer these fundamental questions: How do we encourage innovation while preserving trust?
How do we unlock opportunity while protecting citizens?
How do we embrace progress without importing instability?
These are not merely technological questions.
They are economic questions.
They are policy questions.
And increasingly, they are questions that affect millions of Africans every day.
Let me thank Standard Chartered for creating a platform for this important conversation.
Institutions that endure for more than a century understand an important truth: The future belongs not to those who resist change, but to those who prepare for it.
This morning, I would like to share three things: Why digital assets matter.
How Ghana is responding.
And what opportunities this creates for Africa.
My central message is simple: Africa’s digital asset economy must not be built on speculation.
It must be built on trust, inclusion , and sound institutions.
Ladies and gentlemen, digital assets are no longer a future concept.
They are becoming part of the financial infrastructure of the present.
By credible estimates, this ecosystem already touches more than three million Ghanaians and represents activity measured in billions of dollars.
That is not a niche, a fringe, or a future projection.
It is a present-day economic reality.
The question is no longer whether digital assets will shape African finance.
The real question is whether we will shape that future deliberately, and whether it will serve not only the largest institutions, but also the trader in Tamale, the entrepreneur in Kumasi, and the small business owner in Takoradi.
For too long, adoption ran ahead of regulation.
Millions of citizens participated in a market operating largely outside the regulatory perimeter.
So, Ghana made a choice.
We chose not to ban what we did not fully understand.
And we chose not to ignore what was already reshaping the financial lives of our citizens.
Instead, we chose engagement.
We chose to bring innovation into a framework where citizens are protected, confidence is preserved, and opportunity can flourish.
This is b ecause regulation is not about saying no.
It is about creating the conditions under which society can confidently say yes.
That philosophy guides our approach.
Through Act 1154, Ghana established a legal framework for virtual asset service providers.
We strengthened cooperation between the Bank of Ghana, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Financial Intelligence Centre.
We established a dedicated Virtual Assets Department.
And through our Regulatory Sandbox, we continue to learn, test, and adapt before finalising long-term frameworks.
Ladies and gentlemen, as a central banker, it will be remiss of me to speak about digital assets without speaking about money itself.
And in Ghana’s case, that means speaking about the cedi.
Our work on eCedi reflects our belief that innovation should expand inclusion, not restrict it.
But let me be absolutely clear: Whatever we build, tokenize, or otherwise, we must not displace the cedi.
A strong digital ecosystem should strengthen public money.
Not competing with it.
The future may be digital.
But public trust must remain at its centre.
And that brings me to the opportunity before us.
First, trade and cross -border payments.
Today, a business in Accra can sometimes find it easier to transact with Europe than with another African country.
Digital settlement infrastructure can reduce cost, increase speed, and support the ambitions of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Second, the tokeni sation of real assets.
This can deepen capital markets, improve efficiency, and create new pathways through which businesses access finance.
Third, financial inclusion.
Mobile money has demonstrated what happens when innovation is designed around people’s lives.
The next generation of digital infrastructure can extend opportunities even further, particularly for those who remain underserved by traditional financial systems.
But opportunity and discipline must remain partners.
Remember, Financial stability matters, just like consumer protection, integrity, and literacy.
Innovation succeeds when people trust it.
And people trust it when they understand it.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me close with an invitation.
To innovators: engage with us.
To banks: partner with us.
To regulators across Africa: collaborate with us.
Because interoperability is not an accident of technology.
It is a policy choice.
And it is a continental choice.
Imagine an Africa where a trader in Tamale transacts with a customer in Nairobi, Kenya, as easily as with one next door.
Imagine an Africa where payments that once took days are completed in seconds.
Imagine an Africa where small businesses access capital previously beyond their reach.
Imagine an Africa where innovation is trusted because it is protected.
Imagine an Africa that is not merely consuming the future but helping to create it.
That future is possible.
But it will not happen by accident.
It will happen through deliberate choices, partnership, and leadership.
Ghana has chosen its posture.
Open, but anchored.
Innovative, but sovereign.
Ambitious, but accountable.
The infrastructure of Africa’s digital economy is being shaped today.
Let us build it wisely.
Let us build it responsibly.
Let us build it to last.
And for the future we owe the next generation, and with gratitude, hope, and responsibility, I charge you.
1 | P a g e Post - 130 MPC Engagement with Heads of Banks Opening Remarks by Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama Governor, Bank of Ghana Bank Square, Bank of Ghana | Tuesday, 16 June 2026 Chief Executive Officers and Heads of Banks, Deputy Governors, Officials of the Bank of Ghana, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning.
It is my pleasure to welcome you all to th is bi-monthly meeting of Heads of Banks and express my sincere appreciation to each of you for the continued engagement and collaboration between the Bank of Ghana and the banking industry.
T hese engagements have become an important platform for open and candid dialogue, collective reflection, and coordinated action towards building a resilient and inclusive financial system.
I will start by highlighting the key outcomes of the recently held Monetary Policy Committee meetings, which convened at a time when the domestic economy continued to exhibit resilience amid a complex and volatile global environment.
The Committee noted that, although inflationary pressures remained contained, potential risks persisted, at least at the time, especially those associated with prolonged geopolitical tensions.
The Committee assessed that the risks to inflation and growth were broadly balanced and, accordingly, decided to maintain the Monetary Policy Rate 2 | P a g e at 14.0 per cent.
Clearly, the outlook since yesterday has now changed , and we are monitoring events in the coming days and weeks until the next meeting of the MPC.
The decision reflects our commitment to preserving macroeconomic stability while supporting the ongoing recovery in economic activity.
The current policy stance provides an appropriate balance between safeguarding price stability and facilitating continued growth in private sector credit and investment.
The Committee also decided to amend the dynamic Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) framework and replace it with a uniform Cash Reserve Ratio of 20 per cent, to be maintained entirely in domestic currency, effective 4 June 2026.
The adjustment to CRR policy was carefully calibrated to enhance the effectiveness of liquidity management within the banking system.
Maintaining reserves in domestic currency wil l improve liquidity forecasting, strengthen monetary policy transmission, reduce operational complexities associated with the previous dynamic framework, and support the continued deepening of the domestic financial market.
Importantly, the new framework provides a more predictable and equitable reserve management structure across institutions while preserving adequate liquidity buffers within the system.
Generally, the domestic economy continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience.
The Composite Index of Economic Activity expanded by 12.6 per cent in March 2026, compared with 2.3 per cent in the corresponding period last year.
This strong performance was supported by robust growth in private sector credit, industrial activity, consumption, and trade.
Although business and consumer confidence softened marginally in April due to concerns regarding global developments, sentiment remains positive and supportive of economic activity.
Inflation remains firmly under control.
Headline inflation edged up slightly to 3.4 per cent in April and further to 3.7 per cent in May 2026, from 3.2 percent in March, marking the first consecutive increases since December 2024 .
However, core inflation continued to decline, confirming that underlying inflationary pressures remain subdued.
Fiscal performance has remained supportive.
Expenditure containment measures and prudent fiscal management resulted in a fiscal surplus of 0.1 per cent of GDP during the first quarter of 2026, exceeding programme expectations.
3 | P a g e The external sector remains resilient , too.
The current account surplus strengthened to US$3.1 billion during the first quarter of the year, supported by strong export earnings from gold and cocoa, together with stable remittance inflows.
Gross International Reserves increased to US$14.4 billion, providing import cover of 5.7 months and strengthening buffers against external shocks.
I am particularly encouraged by the continued improvement in the banking sector.
Total banking sector assets expanded by 26.6 per cent to GH¢493.9 billion.
Capital adequacy strengthened significantly, with the industry Capital Adequacy Ratio increasing to 22.3 per cent from 17.5 per cent a year ago.
Asset quality has also improved, with the Non -Performing Loan ratio declining from 23.6 per cent to 18.0 per cent.
These developments demonstrate the resilience of the banking sector and reflect the collective efforts undertaken by all institutions represented here today.
Nevertheless, we must not become complacent.
Elevated credit risks remain a concern, and banks must continue to strengthen credit underwriting standards, improve recovery processes, and comply fully with regulatory requirements aimed at reducing non -performing loans to tolerable prudential targets.
As we sustain stable macroeconomic conditions, let me reiterate that the banking industry must increasingly turn its attention to its fundamental role of financial intermediation and support for productive economic activity.
The long -term sustainability of our financial system ultimately depends on the strength of the real sector.
A vibrant manufacturing sector, competitive agriculture, efficient services sector and thriving export -oriented businesses are essential for generating sustainable credit demand, quality assets, employment, and economic prosperity.
I therefore urge banks to leverage the gains from macroeconomic stability, declining interest rates, and advances in financial technology to develop innovative products that meet the evolving needs of households and businesses.
Banks must go beyond financing and increasingly position themselves as strategic partners to businesses.
This includes providing business advisory services, supporting entrepreneurship, facilitating market access, and developing export clinics that help businesses identify opportunities in markets where your parent institutions, subsidiaries, and strategic partners already operate.
In addition, the Bank of Ghana will be collaborating closely with product leads of banks and other stakeholders to strengthen channels that convert remittance inflows into productive investments.
4 | P a g e By creating innovative investment -linked remittance products, we can mobili se a larger share of these flows toward business expansion, infrastructure development, and long -term capital formation.
Such efforts will not only deepen our financial markets but also strengthen economic resilience and support sustainable growth.
Now, I will briefly touch on a few important regulatory and supervisory matters.
The Bank continues to advance a comprehensive regulatory reform agenda aimed at enhancing the resilience, soundness, and stability of the financial system.
Earlier this year, we issued six exposure drafts for industry consultation, including directives and guidelines on liquidity risk management, liquidity monitoring tools, stress testing, recovery planning, interest rate risk in the banking book, and the Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP).
These reforms are aligned with international best practices and are intended to ensure that our regulatory framework remains robust and forward-looking in an increasingly complex operating environment.
I encourage all banks to provide their comments and input before the consultation period closes at the end of June.