03:47
Posted by
John Anthonio
Last year saw Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, the parent company of Ecobank Ghana acquiring 100% stake in The Trust Bank(TTB).Hitherto,Social Security and National Insurance Trust(SSNIT) was the major shareholder with about 60%.SSNIT gave reasons for this move:
This transaction will help SSNIT make sure that the pension scheme is sustainable and that every month we get steady flow of months to pay about 110,000 pensioners we have on a payroll
This was a big step for Ecobank and I’m left wondering if this acquisition was a “win,win”.The only winners I see in this picture is Ecobank. That’s leaves me trying to figure out how this stands to benefit SSNIT and our pensions in the long.After all our pensions are at stake here.
The bank was then merged into the Ecobank group which saw Ecobank Ghana become the biggest bank in Ghana in terms of profitability and assets.I was really impressed and inspired by the acquisition after hearing what “Mr. Sam Adjei, MD of Ecobank had to say:
We were very strong in corporate and retail banking, but we were not strong in the SMEs and the local corporate segment of the market. It became obvious to us that TTB would be the best to fit into that gap because it is performing strongly in the SMEs and the local corporate segment.
Well this was a strategic move on Ecobank’s part I must say.I know of key players in Ghana's banking industry who haven’t even attempted what
Ecobank has done.I find myself in the banking halls of Ecobank on a regular basis lately.Not because I have an account with them though I would jump at the opportunity to get one.What holds me back is me constantly telling myself “not today!
On the news last week I heard Ecobank was looking to acquire another bank in Ghana.New group Chief Executive of Ecobank, Thiery Tanoh puts it like this:
There is no reason to say we are too big.Yes big can be ugly or beautiful but we will leave the ugly for others and take the beautiful.
Mr Tanoh adds that the bank has no plans of ending it's recent takeovers which has seen ECOBANK present in 35 african countries.He said
We want to be number one.We want to grow faster than anybody else.We want to be better.We are going to continue to have an aggressive,sustainable and healthy growth through acquisition if we find the right partners.That is the only way to be number one.When you find the right opportunities and seize them.
I learnt a lot from all this.That we have the potential to reach greater heights subject to how far God want's us to go and not subject to how far others think we should go.Don't call it a holiday and go into hibernation.There is so much more you can achieve.
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02:43
Posted by
John Anthonio
Throughout history and across generations men have never understood women,it seems. From teenagers to the elderly, women have managed to completely confuse men of all ages, careers, ethnic groups – you name it.
When a women says "i'm fine",it might just mean the opposite. To make it easier for men to better understand women especially the Ghanaian women, Kwaku Sintim-Misa(KSM) went undercover to uncover how the Ghanaian women operates and bring us yet another hilarious and rib cracking and informative performance. "THE SECRETS OF GH GIRLS" is on the 24th of December at the National Theatre,Accra.Tickets are selling now!
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05:50
Posted by
John Anthonio
My first encounter with computers was at age twelve.Personal computers had just started making their way into peoples homes and i was fascinated when i got the opportunity to use one.It was actually love at first sight.
Soon after,the internet became publicly accessible with a number of internet cafes springing up.Years have passed and i got to hear about blogging.I didn’t understand how it really worked and surprisingly i never bothered to find out until i listened to a program about blogging,social media and citizen journalism on my local radio station; Joy FM Ghana on which a high school senior Mac-Jordan, a blogger himself was the resource person. My hunger to know more lead me to the website of Blogging Ghana,a group promoting blogging in Ghana.
I realized blogging wasn't rocket science after all and any body could be a blogger.Really interesting to see my articles and posts come alive especially with this cool social blogging plug in i discovered called Zemanta.
It goes amazing things to my blog.
Enough said…..this goes to sharing,making a difference and being heard.
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13:08
Posted by
John Anthonio
Ghana went to the polls on 7th December.It's been generally calm despite some technicalities.Results keep trickling in from all constituencies.From all indications, this has been a keenly contested election.Whoever comes out tops would have won by a very slim margin.
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| photo credit:citi fm |
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11:39
Posted by
John Anthonio
Ghana has been described as"a model of democracy in Africa" .Despite it's history of coupes and military interventions Ghana has enjoyed relative peace and stability compared to neighboring countries.
Ghana seems to be divided on political lines right now.What we seem to forget is that Ghana is a multitribal nation and we've lived side by side for many years with representation in all the political parties in Ghana.
So you see, in times like this,even though we seem to support different parties, the primary fact is that we are part of one family,tribe or nation.Which ever party we decide to support or affiliate with is only secondary.
We should have the greater good of Ghana at heart and this involves putting aside our political differences and working together for the mutual benefit of us all. This is another test of our democracy and a successful outcome depends on how much we value what we have in common and put differences aside.
The world looks on.
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06:19
Posted by
John Anthonio
ACCA exams started today.Feedback is mixed.It went well for some but others had hell of a time.Well with the ACCA shock might await you since it's possible to end up passing though you might have been uncertain as to the outcomes
or end up failing when you had your hopes so high.
I’m sitting back enjoying my long coffee break and watching how it unfolds.Probably,i might pick up a thing or two about how to make my exam experience next year an interesting one accompanied by nothing but first attempt passes.Mean time,i've enrolled myself into the blogging masterclass.It's never too late.
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03:35
Posted by
John Anthonio
Election 2012 is six days away and candidates are rounding up their campaigns.Like many other democracies i think we are well aware that this is a race of two;the incumbent and the largest minority or maybe not.We are yet to see.
2012 has been a very interesting year and the tables might turn. The talk about free and quality education for all has taken center stage.In my opinion, we need a Ghana where everyone has an equal opportunity to attain a desirable level of educational achievement in order to be well informed people.
People who can discern,think critically and know when they are being taken for a ride. A Ghana where every parent will be able to take their children to school and a Ghana where provision of affordable,quality,relevant and accessible education will no longer give one politician leverage over another.
Education must never be for a privileged few and no one should be able to blame his lack or deficiency in education on circumstances,economic background or the government of the day.Finland and other Nordic countries should serve as examples.
The more educated people we have the less people we have taking decisions based on rumors,speculations and falsehood instead of facts and real issues.
Ghana is and will continue to be a shining light for the rest of Africa.
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03:02
Posted by
John Anthonio
