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Management of GCB Bank, would have to do more, to win the full trust of the big customers of erstwhile UT Bank and Capital Bank in order for them to maintain their accounts with the bank.

This is because the corporate customers, who have their company accounts previously run by the defunct banks, have expressed skepticism about their future with their new banker, citing delays in service delivery which they say may have negative impact on their operations.

Management of GCB met the corporate customers of the two banks for the first time, Thursday, after the takeover last week.
GCB’s Managing Director, Alsam Ray Sower, assured the customers that they will, among other new measures, review their lending rates downwards from the current 22.75 percent as part of efforts to grow businesses of the new and old clients.

Sower also outlined other reasons why the customers should continue to do business with GCB. He said the bank is committed to building stronger relationships with them.

“It is my ambition to bring back passion into the way in which GCB manages the local entrepreneur space in the country .We have embarked on a campaign to win, nurture and support and grow Ghanaian businesses to enhance the national economy” Sower said.
He added that “GCB has the capacity, the resources and the network to support your businesses. It is these that have made GCB such a resilient institution.”

But the customers are yet to be convinced. In an interview after the meeting, they said they will give their new bank the benefit of the doubt and monitor them for some time before making a concrete decision to either stay or not.

Owner of construction company, Ceekaps Limited, who was saving with Capital Bank, said “we will monitor the beginning and see what happens, then we take a decision but it is a border to us because I was once with GCB and I lost a bid because they were unable to give me a big security on time to unable us bid for a project, so I am not very confident with them.”

Gifty Lakai, owner of a retail company, ‘Grace has found us’, also lamented that “We have to monitor them because even now I paid in a check yesterday and they have debited my account but they are yet to credit my client’s account since yesterday and he is complaining, which is very bad. I am afraid because if I don’t take care it may affect my business.”

GCB branches, numbering over 200, will all be fully networked as part of a six-month programme of integration following the takeover.

GCB’s asset base will increase from the current GHS6.5billion, thus maintaining its position as the biggest bank in the country.

Sowah said the decision to assume the management of the two institutions was taken seriously to grow their brand and create the environment for customer’s business to thrive.

“I know GCB has the right balance sheet to support big transactions and large tickets deals that you will appreciate. It means that the bank has the capacity to offer customers a one-stop solution to their banking needs,” he assured.

As part of efforts to convince the customers to stay, the bank introduced them to some of its products including ‘GCB Bridge Loan’, a short term financing for urgent business support and the ‘Term loans’, a customized secure loan for a fixed tenor repayable over 36 months.

GCB Bank Limited, purchased the assets of the two banks last week after their licenses were withdrawn by the central bank.