Governor Asiama Welcome Remarks – Cedi@60 International Currency Conference
Source: bank_of_ghana
Date: 2025-11-18

CEDI@60 INTERNATIONAL CURRENCY CONFERENCE WELCOME REMARKS BY DR. JOHNSON PANDIT ASIAMA GOVERNOR, BANK OF GHANA ACCRA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE 18 NOVEMBER 2025 Your Excellency, Distinguished Governors, Colleagues from across the currency, payments, and security ecosystem, Esteemed partners from Currency Research, Ladies and gentlemen. Good morning, and welcome. It is a pleasure to gather in this space with leaders whose work supports the foundations of modern financial systems. This conference provides a unique platform for experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to come together and discuss the latest trends, ch allenges, and opportunities in the world of currency. I am confident that the discussions and conversations that wi ll take place over the next two days will be insightful, engaging, and valuable for all participants. Let me extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our speakers, sponsors, and attendees for their commitment to advancing our unders tanding of currency and its impact on our daily lives. Your presence here today is a testament to your dedication to excellence and innovation in the field. Colleagues, this conference also forms an important continuation of the Cedi@60 celebrations, a year-long reflection on the journey of our national currency and the role it continues to play in Ghana’s economic and institutional life. The Cedi@60 launch event reminded us that our currency carries history, meaning, and a sense of collective identity. Today, we build on that moment and reflect on how we can walk forward together, with purpose, as custodians of the next chapter of the Cedi. We are honoured by the presence of His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, the President of the Republic. Your Excellency, your presence speaks to the national significance of this milestone, and we appreciate your continued support for the Bank of Ghana and for the financial sector more broadly. Your engage ment underscores our shared responsibility to protect the value, integrity, and future of the Cedi. Mr. President, your “Resetting Ghana” agenda’s emphasis on stability resonates deeply with our mandate to safeguard a currency that supports opportunity, confidence, and long-term prosperity for all Ghanaians. As Governor, I am very much aware of the critical role that currency plays in our economy and society. And as we mark sixty years of the Cedi, we remember the pride and aspiration that shaped its introduction. From its earliest days, the Cedi carried the confidence of a young republic charting its own economic destiny. Over the decades, it has mirrored Ghana’s tri umphs and struggles – periods of progress, bold reforms, and moments of hardship that tested the resilience of our institutions and our people. Through all these moments, the Cedi has remained central to policymaking, market sentiment, and daily life in every corner of Ghana. For sixty years, the Cedi has moved with our people, into markets, in small shops, on farms, in trotro stations, and in the quiet routines of daily life. It has helped families plan, helped businesses grow, and helped communities support one another. Each generation carries its own memory of the Cedi. And now, we must also look ahead. The next generation will relate to the Cedi in new ways. Young Ghanaians are growing up in a world where value moves instantl y, where digital interaction is second nature, and where expectations of transparency, convenience, and accountability continue to rise. Their relationship with the Cedi will be shaped by the trust they place in the institutions that serve them. Part of our responsibility – as policymakers, as technicians, and as leaders – is to ensure that the Cedi, however it is accessed, continues to serve their aspirations. Across the world, the landscape of money is shifting. Digital payments continue to reshape behaviour and expand access. Juris dictions are advancing their thinking on CBDCs and tokenised instruments, raising new considerations around trust, interoperability, and privacy. Advances in artificial intelligence are redefining authentication, security, and lifecycle management. At the same time, glob al uncertainty, geopolitical realignments, and technology dependence all create new vulnerabilities for economies li ke ours. These shifts are already shaping how Ghanaians earn, save, trade, and secure their futures. They call for steady leadership, clarity in st rategy, and stronger coordination across institutions. These shifts also require a thoughtful approach to how the physical and digital dimensions of money will evolve together. Cash continues to play an essential role in inclusion and resilience, while digital channels are expanding convenience and reach. Our work on payments modernisation and the eCedi reflects our commitment to secure and interoperable forms of value, grounded in Ghana’s realities and informed by global lessons. This must be reinforced by strong economic stewardship and institutional stability to ensure the Cedi retains its value and relevance. At the same time, we are strengthening efforts to re-anchor the Cedi as the unquestioned medium of exchange, addressing the pressures toward currency substitution and dollarisation that threaten our economic sovereignty. As we advance this work domestically, our engagement with the global community becomes even more important. As an active participant in the global dialogue on the future of currency and payments , we draw on our experience in payments innovation, financial inclusion, and regulatory reform, while continuing to learn from partners across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The issues shaping modern currencies cross borders and disciplines, making collaboration indispensable. This conference deepens that collaboration. It brings together the full ecosystem that now shapes the life of a currency – central bankers, payment specialists, currency designers, security and technology providers, academics, and industry leaders. The robust agenda reflec ts this breadth and reminds us that currency management today sits at the intersection of many disciplines, each contribut ing to the stability and trust that a nation’s money must uphold. Let me express my appreciation to Currency Research, to our domestic and international partners, and to every participant who has travelled from near or far to join us. Your presence enriches the conversation and broadens the possibilities for collaboration. The Cedi belongs to all of us. It carries our confidence, our effort, and our belief in the future of this country. I encourage you to engage fully, share generously, and help shape the vision of what the next sixty years should look like. My hope is that every Ghanaian, the child learning to count, the trader serving her community, the entrepreneur building something new, can continue to hold the Cedi with unwavering confidence and pride. May we always remember that protecting the Cedi is not the task of any one institution , it is a shared endeavour rooted in our belief in Ghana’s future. Thank you, and I wish you a productive and inspiring conference here in Accra.