INTRODUCTION

First National Bank is now GN Bank. The new bank was unveiled at a colourful ceremony in Accra Thursday, September 18, 2014. In a double-edged programme the hitherto Savings and Loans Company-First National Savings and Loans, made official, its status as a universal bank and subsequent change of its universal banking name of First National Bank to GN Bank. The Bank also changed its logo in conformity with its new name.

Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion were the Governor of Bank of Ghana, Mr. Henry Kofi Wampah, a representative of the Minister of Finance, the National Chief Imam, Shiekh Nuhu Sharabutu, the president of Groupe Nduom and wife Dr. and Mrs. Nduom and other leading players in the banking industry.

It name might be changed, yet the vision of GN Bank is just the same as the one that led to First National speedily underscoring its primary vision of being the only true bank for the ordinary Ghanaian.

Thus GN bank hopes to continue to work diligently without much fanfare to maintain its legendary status of being the friendly bank for students, workers, traders, professionals and micro, small and medium scale entrepreneurs.

OBJECTIVE/VISION

With a clientele base that is more than half a million, GN Bank is perhaps running ahead of what the owners had anticipated in less than 10 years of operation. The shareholders and directors are more than delighted that the drive to achieve the objective of setting up a facility for the ordinary Ghanaian is fast exceeding their anticipation.

So what might have contributed to the rather fast growth of GN Bank?

This is what one shareholder had to say: “We’ve been able to stay diligently on our primary vision of ensuring that we are the most recognized bank where it matters most for the ordinary Ghanaian; we are very close to our clients where their satisfaction is our obsession. This has ensured that the Bank has nationwide geographic appeal to underlie its status as the People’s Bank. People in the hard to get to areas in the country need evidence of permanent physical presence to gain the confidence needed for them to put their hard earned Cedis with a bank. GN Bank provides this physical security”.

INNOVATIONS

Further probing shows that GN Bank has many attractive products. These products are not only shoring up the image of the Bank; but also inducing customer attraction, confidence and satisfaction. With operations in locations all over the country, including some of the remotest parts of the country, customers have access to save in areas that the big banks do not find suitable to do business.

Unlike many other banks, GN Bank is proud to retain the services of its Mobile Bankers and is even going further to enhance their effectiveness with additional technology. A big differentiating factor is that GN Bank is the owner of the uniquely branded “Money Stores”.

The Bank plans to put in place 250 Money Stores to provide a safe avenue for people to save, transfer and receive money. These will support the full service branches present in all the ten regions of the country. This permanent physical presence will be without equal in the banking arena.

The Bank’s close to client mobile banking system is an added attraction. Customers do not need to travel at all to save. They do savings through the Bank’s Mobile Bankers who are ever present in the neighborhoods, markets, stores, farms, offices and homes. This is a special module where the Bank engages the services of Mobile Bankers who trek to various business entities of customers and prospective ones to help them save or open bank accounts.

GN Bank has deployed fourteen (14) Mobile Banking Vans that roam market centers, lorry parks and commercial areas with “Fast Cash” Machines to dispense money and take deposits. The Bank is the only one in the country that encourages people to save with amounts as low as 50 pesetas.

PRODUCTS

The leadership role of GN Bank in the Banking industry can also be attributed to many of its innovative products. They include Wo Daakye, which is a special account that caters for families and also for the future needs of customers – Wo Daakye accounts can be opened with 50 pesewas and earns interest; Its Micro Enterprise Loans facilitate the growth of businesses of customers.

The Bank provides services and products other universal banks offer including an ATM Service that one can rely on for 24 hours in all seven days of the week. The others are Fixed Deposit Account where customers are assured of safe and sound keeping of their accounts. In the case of Internet Banking module, customers are assured of continuous and easy access to their accounts anywhere, anytime and at their convenience; while under Farmer Based Loans, farmer-customers are assured of constant access to loans throughout the entire year.

BRANCHES

Although it’s been less than a decade (2006) since it started operations, such unique features have contributed to an amazing presence of GN Bank in such areas like Awaso, Damang, Half Assini in Western Region; Kasoa, Apam, Agona Swedru, Asebu, Twifu Praso in the Central Region; Sampa, Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region; Bawku, Pusiga, Zebilla in the Upper East Region; Wulesi, Bole, Tatale and Saboba in the Northern Region; Kpassa, Dzemeni and Nkwanta in the Volta Region; Donkokrom, Mpraeso and Kpong in the Eastern Region; Sege, Dodowa, Prampram in Greater Accra; Ejura, Mampong and Konongo in Ashanti Region and; Nandom, Pusiga and Hamile close to Ghana’s border with Burkina Faso in the Upper West Region. First National Bank will have 150 branches and Money Store locations throughout the country by the close of the year.

As a unique universal bank, GN Bank is going where other banks will not go – evidence of staying true to its determination to be the People’s Bank.