Ghanaians Urged To Inculcate A Strong Savings Culture
Ghana’s premier private indigenous bank, Fidelity Bank Ghana Ltd., as part of its quest to inculcate a strong savings culture in Ghanaians, has kick-started a series of road shows and market storms in all 10 regions of the country to promote its groundbreaking Smart Account and Agency Banking service.
The first road show took place in Madina, and the trail is moving soon to Accra’s central business district. Over the next few months, the Smart Account will be promoted in all the 10 regions hoping to reach millions of Ghanaians nationwide with the fastest, most relevant banking service.
Riding on the global financial inclusion wave using innovative technologies to bring banking to the doorsteps and into the palms of consumers, Fidelity, in March last year, launched the Smart Account product and Agency Banking service. To date, Fidelity has brought onboard over 250,000 valued Smart account customers nationwide, being served mainly through a network of over 500 fidelity agents.
According to Nana Obeng-Brentuo, Head of Customer Acquisition & Distribution, Inclusive Banking, “the Smart Account and Agency Banking proposition is a core element of Fidelity Bank’s commitment to provide accessible banking. We are embarking on these road shows and market storms to reach and interact with our various existing and potential customers spread across Ghana. Our aim is to take tailored formal financial services to everyone in Ghana. Getting close and personal with our valued customers is an intrinsic part of fulfilling our promise to deliver the wow experience.
According to Catherine Opoku-Ampomah, owner of Accential Enterprises, being a Fidelity agent allows her to provide a unique service to her customers in her community around Madina. “Many people come to deposit into and withdraw money from their account to avoid queuing at branches. People can now pay their bills, top up their mobile phones and transfer and receive money at my shop.
Fidelity’s Smart Account, targeting Ghana’s 70% unbanked and underbanked populace, is simple, fast and easy to use – clients need ONLY a valid national ID card and no additional documentation to receive an instant account and ATM card – the account is opened on field within 5 minutes using a customized android phone. Furthermore, it comes pre-loaded with Fidelity Mobile Banking Service, accessed by dialing *775#. All transactions done at a Fidelity Agent can also be done on Fidelity Mobile from the comfort of wherever you are. Additionally, the Smart Account offers foreign remittance to account and bulk payment processing, including salary, government to person (G2P) and other benefactor to beneficiary payments.
Fidelity Smart customers can use their Smart Cards at any of the 80 Fidelity branches, 109 ATMs and 500 and counting Fidelity Agent points located nationwide, from Osu in the Greater Accra Region to Garu in the Upper East Region.
A key element of this nationwide campaign is the financial education drive, executed in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GIZ. The financial education drive will help build clients’ capacity in the knowledge and use of savings, budgets, insurance, microinsurance, investments, loans, ATM usage and Agent Banking.
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