International trade finance pogramme opens in Accra

A four-day international trade finance training programme, organised by the London-based Ghana International Bank (GHIB), has opened in Accra.

There are 40 bankers and senior business executives attending the programme which began in Accra on Monday.

Commenting at the opening, an Advisor to the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and Director of GHIB, Mr Franklin Belnye, said “banks play a key role in international trade by providing the finance which is vital to this process. We at the Bank of Ghana are committed to promoting fora for the discussion and communication of issues affecting the banking community in particular and the economy as a whole. That is why I am particularly delighted that GHIB continues to deliver this programme every year.’

For his part, the Chief Executive and Managing Director of GHIB, Mr Joe Mensah, said: ‘We are a bank with a difference. We combine our rapidly growing relationships across the continent with international expertise and correspondent links to all major global financial institutions. It is this rich unique experience that we hope to share with the banking and business community.’ 

The bank’s exposure in the region has been growing rapidly.The growth in GHIB’s African operation is reflected in the surge in both the bank’s balance sheet that has more than doubled in the past ten years and its pre-tax profits which has increased some fivefold during the same period.  

An Executive Director at GHIB, Mr Mark Arthur, said “we are excited about the next four days, we will cover the full range of trade finance products, recent issues in international trade finance, risk assessment, money laundering and fraud, as well as practical problem solving. I am particularly impressed with the diversity of the experience of this year’s delegates which will no doubt enrich our conversations."