Chartered Institute of Bankers to push for financial inclusion

The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB) is to push for the maximum use of e-banking and other payment systems in the country to ensure a wider inclusion of the majority of Ghanaians, especially the marginalised and unbanked, into the formal financial system.

The newly elected president of the Institute, Mr Clifford Mettle, FCIB, told the Daily Graphic that the CIB would vigorously promote financial intermediation and inclusion to ensure that a greater percentage of the Ghanaian population (particularly those in the rural areas) also benefit from financial services.

Mr Mettle, who is also the General Manager, International and Product Development at uniBank Ghana, said the CIB would particularly promote the use of mobile banking platforms by banks, given the high penetration of mobile phones.

“Very often we perceive the ordinary people, traders and artisans as illiterates but they are not all. Most of them use mobile phones regularly. So we will try to send down the message so that they can all sign on to mobile banking and access formal financial services,” the CIB president said.

The CIB came into being in 1978 as a professional umbrella body for banks and other financial institutions. It is aimed at spurring the production of competent human resource for the financial services industry.

The institute elected Mr Mettle as the President and two others into various positions at its 16th National Banking Conference held in Accra.

The new CIB leadership, the President said, would work closely with institutions and engage other umbrella organisations such as the Ghana Association of Bankers, the Chartered Institute of Accountants Ghana and the Bank of Ghana, in promoting financial intermediation in the country, making the CIB one of the most important organisations to contribute significantly to the country’s development process.

The bankers’ institute will embark on a number of exercises aimed at rebranding and repositioning itself to play a lead role in the country’s banking and financial services sector, reflecting what the institute was set up for.

Foremost, it would collaborate with the Bank of Ghana in implementing policies aimed at strengthening the financial system.

The institute would also now make suggestions to ministries, agencies and departments on pressing national issues that affect the general financial services sector or some of its members, Mr Mettle stressed, adding that the institute would also make annual inputs into the budget and economic policy of the government.

The seasoned banker, who until his election on September 25 was the Vice President  of the Institute, is best described as a core strategist, and consummate training consultant with over 29 years of a blossomed banking career.

He has experiences in international trade finance, marketing, corporate and institutional banking and banking operations.

A chartered banker, UK, a fellow of the CIB, Ghana and MBA holder from the University of Ghana Business School, Mr Mettle has held various positions at the Ghana Commercial Bank in Accra and London offices, the then Metropolitan and Allied Bank and also headed the International Banking, Marketing and Corporate Banking units of the National Investment Bank.

According to him, leadership of the institute will strengthen the capacity of bankers across the country to deliver exceptional services to customers.

“We want to ensure that the financial system we have in the country is safer and more secure. As an institute, we aim to instil strong professional conducts in students that we churn out so that when they enter the job market, their services will be predicated on credibility, trust and professionalism,” Mr Mettle said.

The new executive also intends to achieve full accreditation from the National Accreditation Board as an examining body, having obtained a letter of authorisation from the board.

Currently, the Chartered Institute of Bankers organises aspects of the professional examinations which were hitherto run by its equivalent body in London.

Source: Daily Graphic