BOG ladies organise education on re-denomination

Accra, June 9, GNA-The Bank of Ghana Ladies Association (BOGLA) on Saturday embarked on a re-denomination education exercise for market women in some selected markets.

The education, which is on a one-on-one basis, is aimed at giving better understanding to the market women and their customers on the issue.

The BOGLA members began the day's exercise from the Mallamata market, through Nima, Mamobi and Kaneshie markets and would on Sunday visit some selected churches in Accra. Mrs. Evenly Kwatia, President of the BOGLA, said the association adopted the one-on-one style of education because most of the market women in the rural areas were not educated and yet needed a better understanding of the re-denomination exercise so that they would not be cheated.

"We chose this one-on-one group campaign because we get to talk to these women in the local languages and the response we get is very encouraging.

"We are here to re-echo the know your currencies and notes, help them to be aware of the new security features on the currencies, and test them with quizzes to know their level of understanding,'' she said. Mrs. Kwatia said there were some difficulties in getting the attention of the market women initially because most of them were more interested in the conversional charts, samples of the new currency and flyers that were used for demonstration exercises.

She said the Association members would visit between five and six markets in the regions every week and also visit the churches on Sundays, adding that, they would also visit the mosques. Mrs Eleanor Laryea, a member of BOGLA, said their next stop would be the Makola market and expressed the hope to achieve the necessary results.

"Our women need the necessary education so we need to do more to help, if they get educated, the family benefits a lot," she said. "Every one needs to have a place to keep the new currency, we should not fold the notes anyhow and we should also have carriers for our coins because we would be using them more," she told all those she interacted with.

Education, she said, was a long process, so the Association's members would continue with the educational campaign, to help all Ghanaians understand the re-denomination exercise. In an interview with GNA, most of the market women said they were happy with the education because for the first time they have seen the samples of the new currency.

Madam Rabi Amonor, a mortar and pestle seller at the Nima market who expressed satisfaction with the education exercise expressed worry about how those in the hamlets in the rural areas would be able to get such education so that they would not be cheated when trading with those from the urban centres.

"My main concern is about our folks and business partners in the villages, but now with this education and conversional charts I think am ok and I would help them to understand," she said. Madam Akosua, a Palm Oil seller said she no longer had difficulties with understanding the redenomination after the education given to her by BOGLA members.

"We are still learning and hope to understand the whole process better with the help of the flyers and samples of the new currency shown us," she said.