public the opportunity to have complaints, questions and requests for information dealt with promptly. we have the technical team that provides the backstopping function at all times. over time, this platform would introduce an interactive voice response system that would also have built - in financial education section for the public. 7. also, as communication is as much about educating as it is about informing, in the coming year, there would be a step - up in financial literacy and financial education programmes. we believe that the bank has a significant stake in financial education and in all this we will be counting on your support. l am very confident that we will continue to work together as effectively as we have done in the past. 8. thank you for your support over the years and on behalf of the board of directors and the entire management of bank of ghana, l wish you a very happy and prosperous new year. 1 / 2 bis central bankers'speeches thank you. 2 / 2 bis central bankers'speeches

paul a acquah : enhancing confidence in the ghanaian financial system in the midst of the financial crisis keynote address by dr paul a acquah, governor of the bank of ghana, at the ghana banking awards gala night, accra, 9 may 2009. * * * mr. chairman, honorable ministers of state, executives of corporate initiative ghana, directors and executive of banks and industry, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the opportunity to join you at this year ’ s ghana banking awards gala night, the eighth in the series held under the auspices of corporate initiative ghana. first of all, let me take this opportunity to commend corporate initiative ghana for their foresight in institutionalizing this programme to offer a platform where consumers of banking services give public recognition to banks that they have adjudged to have excelled in various areas of their businesses over the year. i believe the annual awards in the various categories help to promote a competitive spirit, financial innovation, diversity of products and services, and efficiency in providing services to customers, and fostering confidence in the banking sector. today ’ s event is organized around the theme “ enhancing confidence in the ghanaian financial system in the midst of global financial crisis ”. [ my reading is that the captains of industry do not seem to be having sleepless nights like their counterparts who have become the targets of some public outrage and visible scapegoats for the crisis in the industrialised countries ]. this topic is very appropriate for this occasion. it offers the opportunity to draw lessons from this extra - ordinary global financial crisis and globally synchronized drop in economic activity and employment, and how it has spread in its severity across countries. we can look at it critically from our domestic perspective as we seek to anchor the financial sector as a pillar of growth in ghana ’ s economic development. mr. chairman, the hallmark of the current crisis is its unprecedented complexity both in terms of its causes and effects. what ostensibly started as a sub - prime mortgage loan problem in the united states has transformed into a multi - faceted financial and economic turmoil. it has shaken the foundations of the financial architecture, the credit and equity markets, and the framework of financial regulations, asset valuations, and transfer of risks. and, the practical consequences have meant a loss of confidence and trust in the financial system on a scale that threatens financial stability. financial institutions have weakened under the weight of the write - offs of toxic assets and corporate and consumer credit losses. banking failures have been