Ms Rosie Ebe-Arthur, Non-Executive Director of FirstBank Ghana, has underscored the importance of making modern banking inclusive, accessible and empowering, particularly for underserved communities across the country.
She said banking was no longer just about facilitating transactions, but about creating opportunities, shaping destinies, and serving as a vehicle for lasting transformation.
Ms Ebe-Arthur was speaking at the commissioning of FirstBank Ghana’s new branch in Tamale, a facility she described as a bold and lasting statement of the bank’s commitment to financial inclusion and socio-economic development in northern Ghana.
The commissioning was attended by key stakeholders including traditional and religious authorities, clients and business stakeholders.
She said the Tamale branch would extend quality financial services to individuals, small businesses, and the informal sector, including traders, farmers, and artisans, who were often excluded from formal banking services.
“Through mobile and agent banking, we are removing barriers and reaching customers wherever they are, from the urban centres to the remote outskirts,” she said, adding that the bank’s products were tailored to meet the needs of market traders, shea butter processors, tricycle operators, teachers, and students.
Ms Ebe-Arthur said FirstBank Ghana was also committed to promoting financial literacy, stressing that “informed customers make empowered decisions.” She added that the bank was determined to enable people not just to access banking services but to build sustainable livelihoods and legacies.
On the bank’s wider role in Ghana’s development agenda, she said FirstBank Ghana’s brand was rooted in integrity, service, innovation, and community impact, adding that since its establishment in Ghana in 1996, the bank had prioritised people-centred growth while leveraging the 131-year heritage of the FirstBank Group to deliver value to communities across the country.
She said the new branch reflected the bank’s strategic intent to become a long-term development partner in Tamale and beyond, indicating that the bank would continue to collaborate with government, NGOs, and the private sector to expand its impact.
Ms Ebe-Arthur expressed gratitude to traditional leaders, religious leaders, regulators, customers, and staff whose support made the branch opening possible, assuring them that FirstBank Ghana remained committed to putting customers first in every service and solution.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, she officially commissioned the Tamale branch, describing it as more than brick and mortar but “a beacon of possibility, a platform for empowerment, and a symbol of what we can achieve when we work together.”
Some of the clients expressed satisfaction at the opening of the new branch in Tamale, indicating that they would take advantage of some of the innovative banking services, including mobile banking, to enhance their businesses.