The 2022 Financial Institution Resilience and Strengthening (FIRST+) programme has adjudged three men as sales champions. They are, Mr. Obed Asiamah of Ahantaman Rural Bank PLC, followed by Mr. Ernest Gyau of Sefwiman Rural Bank PLC, and Mr. Emmanuel A. Kissi Yeboah of Best Point Savings and Loans.
The award was in recognition of their exceptional demonstration of new mind-sets and practices to increase lending to small businesses.
FIRST+ is a sales championship challenge programme, organised by Capital Plus, in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, Bank of Ghana, and the Ghana Microfinance Institution Network (GHAMFIN).
The programme aims to strengthen financial institutions to enable them increase lending to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and create work opportunities for 60,000 Ghanaians, predominantly young women and men.
It is also an initiative designed to increase financial institution lending to MSMEs, empowering businesses to grow, and create meaningful jobs, especially for youth and women.
Aside the three, another set of three also went home with some awards.
They are, Mr. Joseph Kwasi Nyamekye of Akuapem Rural Bank PLC; Mr. Thomas Kwame Piedu of Fiaseman Rural Bank PLC; and Mr. Samuel Nyarko of Mumuadu Rural Bank PLC, who were named Sales Champions at their respective banks.
Speaking at a ceremony held to award the winners at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, Binyam Tadesse, Capital Plus Programme Lead for the FIRST+ programme, said: “The enthusiasm of the bank trainees and their commitment to learning has been impressive. Seeing them translate learned skills into actual plans to expand lending, assures us that FIRST+ will have long-term impact through the adoption of new systems and mindset changes in support of MSME finance.”
Mrs. Elsie Addo Awadzi, Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, encouraged participating FIRST+ financial institutions to take appropriate steps to increase access to financial services and products for MSMEs, particularly those owned by women, to support economic growth and job security for Ghanaians
Madam Rosy Fynn, Country Director, at the Mastercard Foundation, Ghana on her part said “MSMEs make up 92 percent of Ghana’s businesses and account for 80 percent of all jobs and the Mastercard Foundation is fully committed to job creation for young people, especially women.
“When financial institutions extend finance to small businesses, those businesses create new jobs that youth and women can fill, they benefit existing employees, and strengthen local communities and the country as a whole by generating dignified work with reliable incomes.”
Mr. Obed Asiamah of First Place Champion, Ahantaman Rural Bank PLC said the training has helped to systematize his banks operations. “We have become more deliberate with customer service and, more than ever, our focus is on how to make our customers feel cared for, as we serve them. This has impacted our loan volume, which has increased by 60 percent with 80 percent of the new loans made to women-led MSMEs,” he said.
