( mfis ), especially in the regions, brings to the fore considerations for beefing up communication delivery in the regions in situations where information, education and clarification are necessary. the bank of ghana is currently in the process of establishing regional public affairs offices manned by trained pr practitioners to link the head office up with local media who seek information and clarification about the bank ’ s operations, grant interviews or carry through some media - related activity, and boost the media relations programmes of the bank. this would make it easier to know the local media and be immediately available to receive enquiries from them for the purposes of channelling them appropriately for action to be taken. distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the bank of ghana has the noble intention of nurturing the microfinance sector in ghana because of its huge potential to push the financial inclusion agenda forward and alleviate poverty among the majority of our people. we see microfinance companies ( mfcs ) as agents and catalysts for the realisation of the dream of economic prosperity. to demonstrate the commitment of the bank to the effective supervision of licensed mfcs, officers of the bank have been stationed at our regional offices. this is meant to enhance the monitoring and follow - up of licensed mfcs as well as for the surveillance and early detection and resolution of unlicensed mfcs. furthermore, a new system of reporting called the offsite surveillance electronic system ( ooses ) has been introduced to automate the off - site review and analysis of prudential returns submitted by mfcs. ladies and gentlemen, the bank has additionally intensified its financial literacy campaign to accurately inform and educate the public on the activities of unlicensed mfcs. going forward, the passing by parliament of the banks and specialised deposit - taking institutions bill, and the ghana deposit protection bill, will be crucial to our efforts to ensure that confidence is maintained in the banking sector. the two bills will, among other things, offer protection for the small depositor, and deal extensively with the problem of unauthorised deposit taking business. bis central bankers ’ speeches the bank of ghana will continue to provide a sound regulatory environment for the mfi sector while expecting mfcs to engage in prudent activities aimed at protecting customer depositors, maximizing profits and providing meaningful financial services to the rural poor at affordable prices. mr chairman, ladies and gentlemen, the bank of ghana would like to assure the community of the bank ’

, as the sole regulator of the mobile money sector, the central bank will ensure that right things are done by the various players in the sector. we will continue to regulate and monitor activities within the space and ensure that all participants play by the rules. the bank of ghana has a key responsibility to safeguard the integrity of the financial system to underscore the trust that is central to financial deepening and development. it is therefore critical to ensure the confidentiality of transactions, privacy of data collected by operators in this space ( including personal and financial data ), the security of transactions, and smooth operations of all stakeholders and regulators providing complementary services in this space. 12. the interoperability that exist between e - zwich, bank accounts and mobile money wallets, offer participants an endless opportunity to develop various value added services to the public. let me therefore challenge fintechs to work closely with banks, non - bank financial institutions and especially rural and community banks to come out with several other products and services that will further bring banking and financial transactions closer to the public. i see endless opportunities with this financial inclusion triangle and i hope the players also realise the enormity of opportunities it presents. 13. to conclude, i wish to thank all stakeholders who in one way or the other have helped in the full implementation of the interoperability project and to say that the future of ghana ’ s financial inclusiveness and cash - lite society is well within reach. 14. thank you for the attention.