By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Dec. 11, GNA – Zenith Bank Ghana, as part of measures to beautify the City of Accra, has lighted up its Head Office, Zenith Heights on the Independence Avenue as well as the Big Six Roundabout.
The Bank also lighted the Airport Medians, and the Terminal 3 Roundabout all in the Airport Enclave.
An initiative birthed by the Bank in 2018, the lighting up of the cityscape has been adopted by several other institutions and has since then become a national agenda during the festive season.
Prior to the light-up ceremony, staff of the Bank thrilled guests with various renditions of Christmas Carols as well as bible readings on the birth of Christ.
Mr. Henry Onwuzurigbo, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Ghana, speaking at the event said, “In the glow of these lights, let us reflect on the resilience that defines us as a bank and as individuals for we have not only weathered the storm but illuminated the path for more growth and success.”
He added that the lights of the cityscape on the Independence Avenue and at the Big Six Roundabout, its medians as well as at the Terminal 3 Roundabout in the airport enclave should be a reminder of the bright future we continue to build together as a bank and as a nation.
On the Bank’s financial performance, the MD/CEO indicated that 2023 had been a very remarkable year for the Bank as they had achieved feats never seen or recorded in the history of the bank’s financial performance.
“We made our best unaudited pre-tax profit ever with a growth of 82 per cent from 403 million cedis in September 2022 to 735 million cedis in September 2023.”
He added, “Our Bank’s total assets grew to GH¢12.03 billion, a 14.57 per cent increase from the GH¢10.5 billion recorded during the comparable period of the third quarter of 2022.”
“When we thought our customers business with us would decrease, instead, we saw an increase in total deposits by 22 per cent which amounted to GH¢ 10.2 million, from the previous year’s figure of GH¢8.4 million.”
The MD/CEO informed guests that the Bank had recently moved its Achimota branch to a new and more friendly business location and were on the verge of expanding its business locations to other jurisdictions within the first quarter of 2024.
“These are successes chalked, despite the challenges and uncertainties that rocked the Banking industry in the early part of 2023,” he added.
Mr. Onwuzurigbo said with this performance so far, they were determined, motivated and confident as a bank to exceed its 2023 end of year financial targets.
He said as an attestation of the leading role they continued to play in the Ghanaian Banking Industry, the Bank has won many awards.
These include, Best Banking Group, Ghana – World Finance Magazine, Best Corporate Governance Company, and Best Retail Bank for Customer Service – Global Brands Awards, Bank of the Year, Ghana – Global Excellence Awards.
Others are Financial Institution of the Year Award – Ghana West Africa Business Excellence Awards and Trade Finance Bank of the Year – Ghana Credit Excellence Awards.
He said the successes would not have been possible without the commitment and collective efforts of customers, whose unflinching support and continuous loyalty have kept them in business.
He also commended the Board of Directors, whose strategic oversight continued to guide the Bank’s operations and management and staff for their commitment to ensuring full attainment of the Bank’s vision.
GNA