Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) yesterday unveiled a logo and programme at its head office in Accra to commemorate its 60 th anniversary celebration.
The celebration, which is expected to peak between April and June 2013, is themed: ‘GCB: 60 years of service to Ghana – Customers, Businesses and Community.’
Simon Dornoo, Managing Director of GCB, in a speech, commented: ‘GCB, now the financial supermarket of Ghana, has and continues to introduce products for the benefit of the various groups of our society having chalked first in some of the most innovative banking products introduced into the country.’
The MD said GCB had brought banking to the doorsteps of Ghanaians and was poised to entrench its leading position in Ghana while preparing for geographical expansion.
‘In the period before 1953, our forbears, realised very early that achieving rapid economic transformation was very critical and that the vehicle to achieving this objective was the creation of an indigenous bank.
‘There were two expatriate banks in 1952 and we are told that they were not very supportive of indigenous businesses. The indigenous enterprises and companies could not obtain the necessary credit facilities to start or grow their businesses.’
60 years on GCB has not only offered banking services to the nation but broadened its scope of operation from small businesses to large corporate entities.
According to him, GCB in its 60 th year is well resourced and positioned to drive the new Ghanaian economy with the oil industry playing a major role.
‘At 60, we are proud to recount some of our achievements. Starting the bank with a single branch in 1953, we can now boast of 158 branches and 15 agencies. Evolving from the Class 299 machine of old, we can now lay claim to one of the most robust IT systems.
‘From the brick and mortar days of branch banking, GCB today operates a full multi-channel banking service through reliable and secure internet, ATM, Pos and mobile channels. It services are also now accessible internationally.’
This year, GCB is bent on introducing a rebranded bank that will make customers proud.
‘We have listened to our over 2 million customers and the general public. 2013 will be a year during which GCB takes banking to another level. We will outdoor a new ultra-modern retail branch to fit the refreshed GCB brand.
As part of the anniversary, there would be a round-table discussion by financial institutions in Ghana.
By Samuel Boadi