GCB Bank celebrates 65th anniversary with CSR projects

GCB Bank, Ghana’s premier indigenous bank, is celebrating its 65th Anniversary with the launch of CSR projects across the country at a total cost of GH?100,000.

The projects include the provision of theatre beds and lamps to the Winneba Municipal Hospital, refurbishment of the Children and Maternity Wards at Akim Oda Government Hospital, Cladding and seating for the Baby Unit at Tema Polyclinic; and Construction of Boreholes at both the SDA Health Assistant Training School, Asanta in Axim, and Community-Based Health and Planning (CHIPS) compound at Asufufu in the Sunyani Municipality.

The rest are: donation of equipment to Social Welfare School at Ho, medical outreach at a selected market in Accra, painting the Children’s Ward at the Tamale West Hospital, and construction of a fence-wall for Sefwi Asafo Nursing Training College in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality.

Established in 1953 as the Bank of the Gold Coast, it was renamed Ghana Commercial Bank in 1957 when Ghana gained independence and the Bank of Ghana was established as the central bank.

In 1996 the bank listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange, and in 2014 it rebranded from Ghana Commercial Bank to GCB Bank Limited to refresh its image and project a renewed sense of dynamism as it entered a new phase of its strategic growth.

In 2017, driven by its vision of being the leading bank in all the markets where it operates through the provision of first-class banking solutions for customers and value for all stakeholders, GCB Bank acquired two indigenous banks – signifying its ambition and strong asset base.

Named Ghana’s Safest Bank in 2017 by Global Finance and one of eight safest banks in sub-Saharan Africa, GCB Bank’s strategic focus at inception was to provide banking services to Ghana – then an emerging nation – for socio-economic development by paying special attention to traders, business-people and farmers who could not elicit support from the expatriate banks.

Over the years, it has been the country’s major partner in driving socio-economic growth by partnering government to execute major initiatives. In 2017 GCB Bank voted GH¢1billion to support Ghana’s One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative, and also established a dedicated business unit to provide advisory services to develop business proposals from prospective investors.

Commenting on the choice of CSR as the focal point for its 65th Anniversary, the Managing Director of GCB Bank, Anselm Ray Sowah, stated that it was an act in line with GCB’s focus on consistently impacting society and changing lives.

“Our historical dictate is to help drive Ghana’s socio-economic transformation, and while we pursue our core mandate of providing expert financial solutions across the country we are mindful of the need to assist with transformation of the communities we operate in. These anniversary projects are just a few of the many projects we have undertaken this year and over the years,” he stated.

“We are also humbled by the support we have enjoyed from Ghanaians over the years, and these CSR initiatives are a way of expressing appreciation. We have set our sights on total market dominance through first-class banking services, and we ask them to partner us as we scale even greater heights,” he added.

GCB’s banking operations are clustered into nine administrative zones across the country, and the bank is undertaking a CSR activity in each zone. These projects were recommended by the respective Zonal Heads based on the immediate societal impact, and are to be completed within 60 days.