Parliament to probe collapse of local banks

The Finance Committee of Parliament is ready to conduct investigations into circumstances that has led to the collapse of seven local banks since 2017.

As part of the probe, the committee is expected to summon the Bank of Ghana (BoG), KPMG, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) and shareholders of the collapsed banks to appear before its hearing slated for September 5 to 7, 2018.

This follows a crunch meeting by the committee to look into the happenings in the country’s banking sector.

Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah, Chairman of the Finance Committee, speaking to the media, stated that the committee has officially written to the BoG to furnish parliament with all documents relating to the collapsed banks.

The UT and Capital Banks were acquired by GCB Bank in 2017 after they were declared bankrupt by the Bank of Ghana.

Five other local banks – UniBank, Beige Bank, Royal Bank, Sovereign Bank and Construction Bank were recently merged by the Central Bank into the Consolidated Bank following liquidity challenges.

Dr Assibey Yeboah also stated that the probe would focus on the Finance Ministry, the Bank of Ghana as well as the receivers of the defunct banks.

Mr Cassiel Ato Forson, Ranking Member on Finance said the method for the probe would be made available to the public in due time.

He hinted that the Directors and other stakeholders of these banks would be invited if necessary, and assured that the probe would be conducted in a transparent manner, devoid of any partisan consideration.

Mr Ato Forson further explained that the committee is yet to decide whether the intended probe would be open or held in camera.

“We are yet to decide whether we will go public or not but what we can confirm is that we have decided to investigate,” he added.

He said the committee hopes to find out the causes of the collapse of the seven banks; whether it was due to carelessness of some parties or some other factors.

“If indeed it was negligence, what is the way forward. We will have to draw some lessons out of it,” he said.

Source: GNA