ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches-sentences huggingface dataset:
Elevating selected COCLAB engagements to the Heads of Institutions’ level would also help ensure implementation and accountability.
Collaboration must move beyond dialogue to execution.
Each stakeholder —regulators, law-enforcement agencies, the banking industry, telecommunications operators, and the media — has a vital role to play.
Only a unified and sustained approach will preserve con fidence in our financial system.
This agenda takes on added urgency as Ghana prepares for its third -round Mutual Evaluation by the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laudering in West Africa ( GIABA) in the first quarter of 2026.
Demonstrating effective inter -agency cooperation and a strategic national response to unlicensed financial institutions will be critical to our assessment under international AML/CFT standards.
I therefore urge all participants to engage actively in today’s discussions, share practical insights, and commit to sustained collaboration beyond this workshop.
Let this gathering mark a turning point in our collective fight against financial malpractice.
As we approach the festive season, may I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Thank you, and I wish you a productive and impactful workshop.
Johnson Pandit Asiama Governor, Bank of Ghana Bank Square, Bank of Ghana | December 16, 2025| Distinguished Captains of our banking industry, Colleagues, Ladies and gentlemen, Good afternoon.
It is always a privilege to meet with you following our Monetary Policy Committee deliberations.
These moments of engagement remind us that beyond macroeconomic indicators and policy instruments lies a shared mission – the service to the Ghanaian people and a collective responsibility to build a resilient, inclusive, and prosperous economy.
As we gather at the close of a defining year for our financial system, I am reminded of the first post-MPC engagement of my tenure, when I spoke candidly about the difficult road our banking sector had travelled.
Confidence had been tested, uncertainty lingered, and the relationship between the Central Bank and financial institutions needed careful rebuilding.
I made a simple pledge then: that we would restore trust, balance, and collaboration.
Today, that pledge is evident in the tone of our dialogue, the clarity of expectations, and the shared sense that we are custodians of Ghana’s financial future.
Recent Monetary Policy Developments 3.
The results of our collective commitment are becoming evident across all major indicators.
At its last meeting in November, the Monetary Policy Committee reduced the policy rate by 350 basis points to 18 percent.
This decision was supported by the continued impact of our tight monetary policy stance, a strong build -up of external reserves, and a stable inflation outlook well into the first half of 2026.
Global and Domestic Backdrop 4.
Ladies and gentlemen, w e convene at a moment of cautious optimism in the global economy.
While growth prospects have edged upward, the international environment remains fragile, shaped by lingering trade tensions and policy uncertainty.
Notably, global inflation is easing, and financial conditions are becoming more supportive.
Against this uneven global backdrop, Ghana’s economy is charting a confident path forward.
Ghana’s Renewal: Strength Beyond Headwinds 5.
Provisional data on real GDP growth for the third quarter (Q3), released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) last week, reflects continued expansion by 5.5 percent.
Although slightly lower than same quarter of the previous year, the performance shows resilience and adaptability of our productive sectors, while business and consumer confidence indicators for September remain buoyant.
Restoring Price Stability: A Shared Achievement 6.
One of the most significant milestones of the year has been the steady reversion of inflation to the medium-term target band, declining to 6.3 percent – levels not seen in several years, reflecting the combined impact of prudent monetary policy, disciplined fiscal management, and improved food supply conditions.
More importantly, underlying inflation expectations are firmly re -anchored, providing a vital foundation for sustained growth, long -term investment, and renewed confidence among households and businesses.
External Strength and Renewed Confidence 7.
Ghana’s external sector has emerged as a pillar of resilience.
Strong export performanc e, led by gold and supported by cocoa , delivering substantial trade surpluses and strengthening the current account position.
Consequently, external buffers have rebuilt considerably, enhancing our ability to withstand future shocks.
In tandem, t he cedi has responded positively, demonstrating renewed resilience.
Fiscal Discipline 8.
Fiscal consolidation remains firmly on course and aligned with the broader reform s under the IMF ECF programme.
The policy direction ahead is clear – to protect hard-won stability and convert it into lasting economic progress.
The Banking Sector: Anchoring Stability and Growth 9.
At the heart of this progress stands the banking sector.
After a period of significant strain, banks have demonstrated resilience, sound liquidity, improving capital strength, and renewed profitability.
These gains reflect stronger governance, improved risk management, and a regulatory framework that continues to evolve toward a more forward -looking approach.
While challenges remain – particularly in asset quality – the commitment of banks to responsible risk management is evident.
The Bank of Ghana will continue to work closely with the industry to safeguard stability and support sustainable credit growth.
Looking ahead, the Bank of Ghana will consolidate regulatory gains through strict enforcement, expanded training, and deeper engagement with the industry.
The next phase of reforms will include: • New directives spanning stress -testing, recovery planning, and risk management to further enhance the sector’s resilience and alignment with global best practices.
• Revised Risk-Based Supervisory Framework to strengthen forward-looking oversight by focusing on business risk, financial resilience, risk governance, and operational resilience.
• Strengthened collaboration with financial regulators and key industry bodies to safeguard systemic stability and promote a resilient, trusted, and future-ready financial sector.
These reforms reflect our vision – a banking sector that is modern, competitive, resilient, and capable of supporting Ghana’s long-term growth agenda.
Conclusion 12.
Colleagues, our task is to consolidate these gains by deepening financial intermediation, improving credit allocation, and strengthening governance.
We call on banks to support the real sector, expand credit to productive enterprises, especially SMEs, and drive innovation that enhances access and inclusion, while managing risk.
Let us turn this recovery into a financial system that is both stable and catalytic in shaping Ghana’s prosperity.
As we prepare to close the chapter on 2025, we must remember that this year was not the end of a journey, it was the beginning of a new one.
The work ahead will demand more discipline, deeper collaboration, and a willingness to embrace innovation while preserving prudence.
The Bank of Ghana will remain a firm, fair, and transparent partner, supportive where necessary, uncompromising where stability is at risk.
I am confident that with your continued partnership, we will deliver a stronger, more modern, more resilient financi al system, one capable of supporting Ghana’s transformation in the years ahead.
I thank you all for your partnership, your diligence, and your unwavering commitment to the financial stability and progress of our nation.
Thank you, and God bless our homeland Ghana.
SECOND ARB WOMEN’S CONFERENCE & CLIMAX OF 10TH NATIONAL RURAL BANKING WEEK CELEBRATIONS THEME: “DRIVING SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE IN RURAL AND COMMUNITY BANKS THROUGH ESG PRINCIPLES” KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY MRS.
MATILDA ASANTE-ASIEDU NOVEMBER 21 - 22, 2025 VOLTA SERENE HOTEL Page 1 of 7 The Honourable Regional Minister, National President and Executive Leadership of the Association of Rural Banks, Managing Director of ARB Apex Bank Plc, Chief Executives and Senior Management of Rural and Community Banks, Friends from the Media, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning.
It is a joy to be here for the Second ARB Women’s Conference and the climax of the 10th National Rural Banking Week.
This gathering has grown into an important national moment, one that brings together reflection, ambition, and a shared determination to strengthen the backbone of Ghana’s financial inclusion journey.
Allow me to commend the Association of Rural Banks and ARB Apex Bank for sustaining this platform.
Through your leadership, we have created a space where the sector can pause, take stock, and look ahead with clarity and purpose.
That continuity is a gift t o the entire financial ecosystem.
Where Rural Banking Must Go This year’s theme “Driving Sustainable Financial Inclusion and Good Governance in Rural and Community Banks through ESG Principles” captures the direction in which the world is moving, and the direction in which rural banking must go.
We are Page 2 of 7 entering an era where the strength of a financial institution is not measured only by its profits, but also by the quality of its impact, the fairness of its practices, and the responsibility with which it manages risk.
ESG is not a fashionable term.
It is the language of modern governance and long -term resilience.
It blends purpose with profitability, and places people and the environment at the centre of decision- making.
In many ways, ESG simply reclaims the original sp irit of rural banking, service, trust, and community.
For over four decades, Rural and Community Banks have carried the weight of Ghana’s financial inclusion agenda.
You have expanded access to formal finance in communities where the presence of a bank once felt impossible.
The evidence of your impact is everywhere: a farmer who can finally buy improved seedlings, a trader who transforms a table -top operation into a thriving store, a young woman who saves consistently through a mobile agent, and families who weather difficult seasons because a rural bank was willing to stand with them.
These stories rarely make the headlines, yet they hold the quiet power that keeps local economies alive.
Rural banks have nurtured livelihoods, built resilience, and offered dignity to people whose economic activity is vital but often undervalued.
For this , you deserve deep national appreciation.
A Changing Environment That Demands Fresh Thinking But the world around us is changing and changing fast.
Technology is rewriting how customers engage with financial services.
Climate shocks are becoming more frequent Page 3 of 7 and more severe, directly affecting agricultural productivity and rural incomes.
Younger customers expect convenience, transparency, and speed.
Fintechs are widening the competitive landscape.
And the public now demands governance that is transparent, ethical, and accountable.
These shifts are not threats; they are signals.
They remind us that the institutions which endure are those that evolve.
For RCBs, this means rethinking operations, investing in new capabilities, strengthening leadership pipelines, and building systems tha t can withstand uncertainty.
The future will belong to banks that look ahead rather than look back.
ESG as a Blueprint for a Stronger Rural Banking System This is where ESG provides a clear and practical roadmap.
Environmental stewardship requires us to consider how our lending supports or undermines, the natural systems that communities depend on.
Social responsibility pushes us to treat customers fairly, design relevant products, and build institutions that are inclusive in practice, not just in language.
Governance disciplines us to lead with integrity, to manage risks with foresight, and to ensure that decisions taken in boardrooms reflect the long -term interests of depositors and the communities we serve.
ESG is not a burden; it is a strategic advantage.
Banks that embed these values into their culture build trust faster, innovate more confidently, and attract partners and investors who prize sustainability.
Page 4 of 7 Strengthening the Regulatory Foundation At the Bank of Ghana, we are fully aligned with this direction.
The Sustainable Banking Principles offer a clear guide for integrating environmental and social considerations into financial operations.
These principles are meant to help institutions look beyond short-term outcomes and embrace practices that support stability, inclusion, and long - term resilience.
Alongside this is the Corporate Governance Directive for RCBs, which emphasises fit-and- proper leadership, effective oversight, and accountability.
Good governance is not an administrative requirement; it is the anchor that holds an institution steady when conditions change.
Without it, even the strongest balance sheet can crumble.
Our role as regulators is to guide, support, and supervise.
But ultimately, the strength of each RCB depends on the integrity of its leadership, the quality of its governance, and the discipline with which policies are implemented.
Financial inclusion has always been a national priority, but we must never confuse access with empowerment.
Opening an account is only the first step.
People must be able to save safely, borrow responsibly, insure against shocks, and invest in their own progress.
That is what true inclusion looks like.
Ghana has made impressive gains, yet the gender gap remains.
Nearly 80 percent of adults now have access to financial services, but women still trail behind.
This gap is not just a statistic; it is a signal that many women face structural barriers that lim it their Page 5 of 7 economic potential.
Rural banks, because of their proximity and commitment to community development, are uniquely positioned to change this reality.
Women as Drivers of Rural Economic Transformation The truth is simple: when rural women thrive, entire communities rise with them.
Women are the heartbeat of local markets, the stabilisers of households, and often the financial managers of family enterprises.
They repay loans faithfully, invest strategically, and build businesses that endure.
The data reinforces this.
About 63 percent of loans issued by RCBs go to women, and this portfolio consistently performs strongly.
RCBs maintain an average NPL ratio far below the wider banking sector.
These numbers tell a story of discipline, commitment, and trustworthiness.
This is why the Bank of Ghana requires that every RCB board includes at least one woman.
But representation should be the starting point, not the finish line.
Women must be part of strategy, product development, credit decision -making, and long -term planning.
The sector becomes stronger when women’s voices shape its future.
This conference is more than an event; it is a platform that nurtures leadership.
It allows women across the rural banking ecosystem to learn from each other, share experiences, and build networks that strengthen their professional journeys.
But the momentum must continue beyond today.
Page 6 of 7 RCBs must intentionally build environments where women can thrive, offering mentorship, recognising potential early, and creating opportunities for women to step into high-impact roles.
Empowering women is not just fair; it is smart business and sound strategy.
Climate Risks and the Opportunity of Green Finance No discussion about the future is complete without acknowledging the impact of climate change.
Rural communities are already feeling its effects.
Weather patterns are unpredictable, floods and droughts are more frequent, and food production is under pressure.
These realities affect loan performance, client resilience, and the financial health of rural banks.
But within this challenge lies opportunity.
RCBs can lead Ghana’s green finance agenda by supporting renewable energy solutions, climate-smart agriculture, water conservation projects, and eco-friendly rural enterprises.
These investments protect the envir onment and create new business pathways that align with global sustainability priorities.
The Bank of Ghana remains a committed partner on this journey.
We will continue to strengthen supervision, support capacity- building, promote responsible innovation, and collaborate with ARB Apex Bank and development partners to deepen the sector’s resilience.
But the true drivers of progress will be the choices each institution makes, the standards you uphold, the risks you take, the products you design, and the values you champion.
Page 7 of 7 Closing As we celebrate the 10 th National Rural Banking Week, let us use this milestone as a reminder of what matters most.
The future of rural banking will be shaped not only by technology or regulation, but by integrity, innovation, and inclusion.
These are the pillars upon which strong institutions are built.
Let this conference be a turning point, a moment when we recommit to sustainability, fairness, gender equity, environmental responsibility, and good governance.
These values are not optional; they are the currency of trust in a fast-changing world.
I wish you a purposeful conference and continued success as you build a rural banking sector that uplifts communities, protects the vulnerable, and unlocks opportunity for all.
127TH MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE MEETINGS OPENING REMARKS BY DR.
JOHNSON PANDIT ASIAMA GOVERNOR, BANK OF GHANA Colleagues, good morning.
As we gather for the 127 th session of the Monetary Policy Committee, the data before us paints a very different picture from where Ghana stood barely a year ago.
The economy has turned a decisive corner.
Inflation is not only back within the target band but has eased faster than anticipated.
The exchange rate has remained broadly stable.
External buffers are strong.
And, perhaps most encouraging the real sector is showing signs of sustained revival.
The staff briefing confirms that the initial conditions for this meeting are the strongest we have had in several years.
Headline inflation is at 8.0 percent, core inflation measures are between 5–7 percent, and expectations remain anchored.
The cedi has demonstrated resilience in 2025, supported by improved confidence, strong operational reforms in the FX market, and robust trade and reserve inflows.
Gross reserves have risen to US$11.41 billion , equivalent to 4.8 months of import cover, and are projected to reach 5 months by year-end.
What stands out this quarter is the broad momentum in economic activity.
Growth has been stronger and more diversified than anticipated.
The first half of the year recorded 6.3 percent GDP growth, driven by vibrant expansion in services and agriculture, while non- oil GDP surged to 7.8 percent .
High- frequency indicators echo this trend: the Composite Index of Economic Activity is up about 9 percent, and business and consumer sentiments remain firmly positive.
Taken together, these gains confirm that the negative output gap is narrowing, and the economy is gradually shifting from recovery to expansion.
But the turnaround is not accidental.
It reflects sustained fiscal discipline, a cautious but determined monetary stance, and structural policy reforms , particularly the improvements in the FX operations framework and the rebuilding of external buffers.
The 2026 Budget reinforces this discipline and places growth and job creation at the centre of Ghana’s next phase of economic transformation.
Looking ahead, the growth outlook remains favourable.
Staff projections, supported by recent real-sector indicators, suggest that the economy will maintain a steady expansion path through 2026.
The strong harvest season, improved food supply dynamics, enhanced FX liquidity, and the easing credit environment all provide support for continued growth.
Non- oil sectors , services, industry, and agriculture are expected to remain the key drivers.
The broader macro -framework also supports this trajectory.
Money supply growth has moderated significantly, helping anchor inflation.
Real rates remain high, creating room for a carefully calibrated easing cycle.
And with inflation likely to settle between 4–6 percent by year-end before stabilising around the target band in 2026, Ghana is entering what could become a multi-year period of price stability.
At the same time, the global environment remains fragile, and we must remain alert to risks , commodity price swings, geopolitical tensions, and tighter external financial conditions.
Domestically, pressures around taxes, utilities, and costs of credit continue to weigh on business activity, even amid improved optimism.
For today’s deliberations, there are three areas that deserve our most careful attention: 1.
The Pace of Disinflation and the Real Interest Rate Path As inflation declines faster than projected, real interest rates have risen sharply.
Staff analysis shows scope for gradual easing, but the balance must preserve credibility and avoid undermining the disinflation gains.
The FX Market Reforms and Reserve Strategy While the new FX operations framework has improved transparency and market functioning, staff have highlighted the need to educate the public, and to diversify reserve assets to limit concentration risks, particularly around gold holdings.
Financial Sector Stability and Credit Transmission The banking sector remains sound, but asset quality and recapitalisation risks for a few institutions must be addressed.
A healthy credit channel is essential to sustaining the emerging growth momentum.
Colleagues, Ghana’s macroeconomic path is stabilising, and the foundations for sustained growth are strengthening.
The task before us is to protect this stability while supporting the real sector’s recovery.
Our decisions today must reinforce confidence, s ignal predictability, and keep the economy on its path toward higher, job-rich growth.
I look forward to your perspectives as we examine the data more closely and agree on the policy stance that best balances these priorities.
CEDI@60 INTERNATIONAL CURRENCY CONFERENCE PRESENTATION ON ‘THE DIGITAL CEDI – A STRATEGIC VISION FOR GHANA’S DIGITAL CURRENCY’ BY DR.
ZAKARI MUMUNI FIRST DEPUTY GOVERNOR, BANK OF GHANA 19 NOVEMBER 2025 ACCRA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
It is an honour to deliver this keynote presentation on the eCedi —Ghana’s strategic vision for a Central Bank Digital Currency.
Today, I will walk us through the major developments in our payment landscape, the milestones we have achieved as a country, and the opportunities that lie ahead.
Even with all the progress we have made, cash remains the most interoperable value in our financial system.
And that is precisely why the journey toward a digital cedi matters.
Ghana’s Payment Landscape Ghana’s payment ecosystem has undergone remarkable transformation.
It began with the implementation of the Ghana Interbank Settlement System —one of the earliest RTGS systems in Sub -Saharan Africa —which enhanced liquidity in the banking industry and reduced credit and settlement risks.
The establishment of GhIPSS in 2007 further advanced this progress.
Innovations such as the Automated Clearing House, the Cheque Codeline Clearing system, and later, the e -zwich biometric smartcard system and Gh -Link improved efficiency and broadened access to retail electronic payments.
These systems laid the foundation for GhIPSS Instant Pay, a secure, real -time retail interbank transfer platform that significantly enhanced the speed and convenience of payments.
The introduction of mobile money in 2009 marked yet another turning point.
And in 2018, mobile money interoperability enabled seamless transfers across mobile networks and between wallets and bank accounts.
In 2020, the Bank of Ghana strengthened oversight with the creation of the FinTech and Innovation Office, ensuring an orderly licensing and regulatory framework for payment service providers and electronic money issuers, while fostering innovation and safeguarding the integrity of the ecosystem.
The Future of Retail Payments is Digital When we examine Ghana’s payment landscape today, we see extraordinary transformation.