The managing director of Stanbic Bank, Alhassan Andani, has said that the global financial meltdown presents an opportunity for Ghana and other African countries to diversify the pillars of their economy.
He said the services industry is rife with opportunities which must be explored.
Andani, speaking in an interview in Accra after the launch of Stanbic Bank’s new global advertising campaign, said the crisis presents countries such as Ghana the opportunity to enter the services sector on a greater scale, since, irrespective of how the global economy tilts, such industries are not seriously hit.
He said a re-focus on the “little things” are what will ensure the positive growth of the economy.
“Shipping, customs inspections, ship repairs or dry docking, telephony, health services, airline ticketing and other services are far better than just common merchandizing. These are areas where the global crunch can’t hit; they are where we should be concentrating on as a country and blend it with export rather than concentrating on just exporting raw commodities,” he said.
“There is a Cocoa Marketing Board to manage cocoa export and other equally vibrant institutions to manage commodity sale and agriculture. The services sector requires such a strong institutional framework to ensure growth and prosperity,” he added.
To make the services sector vibrant, Andani proposed stronger policies and commitment exhibited elsewhere to ensure that the sector receives full support for growth.
He added that there should be a deliberate programme to build the necessary infrastructure to support the industry. This, he said, requires government’s direct support.
Speaking on the new global advertising campaign, the Stanbic Bank MD said the group recognizes the changing times and as such needed to adjust to serve customers, stakeholders and others better.
He disclosed that the new DNA of the bank, “making the right connections,” was indicative of the changing seasons and this requires exceptional energy to deliver on promises and deliverables.
“We got this new DNA through a global-wide survey conducted among all Standard Bank staff as such there is a sense of ownership on this. And if people feel they own something, they guard it with all the passion they could marshal,” he said.
He said the services industry is rife with opportunities which must be explored.
Andani, speaking in an interview in Accra after the launch of Stanbic Bank’s new global advertising campaign, said the crisis presents countries such as Ghana the opportunity to enter the services sector on a greater scale, since, irrespective of how the global economy tilts, such industries are not seriously hit.
He said a re-focus on the “little things” are what will ensure the positive growth of the economy.
“Shipping, customs inspections, ship repairs or dry docking, telephony, health services, airline ticketing and other services are far better than just common merchandizing. These are areas where the global crunch can’t hit; they are where we should be concentrating on as a country and blend it with export rather than concentrating on just exporting raw commodities,” he said.
“There is a Cocoa Marketing Board to manage cocoa export and other equally vibrant institutions to manage commodity sale and agriculture. The services sector requires such a strong institutional framework to ensure growth and prosperity,” he added.
To make the services sector vibrant, Andani proposed stronger policies and commitment exhibited elsewhere to ensure that the sector receives full support for growth.
He added that there should be a deliberate programme to build the necessary infrastructure to support the industry. This, he said, requires government’s direct support.
Speaking on the new global advertising campaign, the Stanbic Bank MD said the group recognizes the changing times and as such needed to adjust to serve customers, stakeholders and others better.
He disclosed that the new DNA of the bank, “making the right connections,” was indicative of the changing seasons and this requires exceptional energy to deliver on promises and deliverables.
“We got this new DNA through a global-wide survey conducted among all Standard Bank staff as such there is a sense of ownership on this. And if people feel they own something, they guard it with all the passion they could marshal,” he said.
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