Women in Rural and Community Banks (RCBs) have been encouraged to be diligent and steadfast in their quest to navigate through the professional and leadership terrain at the just-ended maiden ARB National Women’s Conference and Ladies’ Association inauguration in Sunyani.
This, according to the association, would ensure massive women participation at top leadership positions within the rural banking industry.
Data available indicates that there are only eight female Chief Executive Officers (CEO) out of the 147 RCBs spread across the country, which is woefully inadequate as women presence at top positions could spur the rural banking industry to much greater heights.
The Executive Director of Association of Rural Banks Ghana, Mrs. Comfort Owusu, in a brief history to the formation of the ladies’ association, noted that a few years after joining the Association of Rural Banks (ARB) Ghana, she noticed that very few women attended training programmes. She, therefore, submitted a proposal to the then Director of ARB to ascertain the cause of this occurrence.
Unfortunately, her proposal was not met with the enthusiasm and organisational will to pursue this agenda. Nonetheless, she did not give up but personally reached out to the ladies in the rural and community banks and after several engagements, the need to help develop and empower them (women) became even more apparent and urgent.
This led to organising a training programme on the well-being of women in the rural banking industry when she assumed office as the Executive Director. During that training programme, the interaction with the ladies fanned the flames of the already existing fire burning to empower the ladies in the rural banking industry in Ghana.
Plans were put in place to establish an association which was to empower ladies in the rural banking sector, hence, the maiden conference to motivate women to surmount all challenges with regard to reaching top leadership positions.
Highlighting the objectives of the conference, Mrs. Owusu said it would promote networking, professional growth and development of ladies in the rural banking industry.
Also, the conference was a medium to share experiences for the development of skills in leadership to foster women leadership in the rural banking industry, including providing a unique forum for collaboration and knowledge-sharing and brainstorming to promote the interests of women in the RCB ecosystem.
Finally, the conference helped to promote the rural banking brand through gender-based activities.
Mrs. Elsie Addo Awadzi, 2nd Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, reiterated that judging by the present trajectory of development, the time is ripe for women to actively get involved in the development of society, particularly in the area described to be male-dominated.
According to her, it is not going to be by affirmative action; but as a woman, one should understand what it is to become the CEO as well as occupying any top managerial position in the organisation or on the board and one has to be prepared to take up that responsibility.
She emphasised that women could do this through academic pursuit, self-development or leadership training, of which any is required to take up challenging corporate leadership responsibilities.
Bono Regional Minister Justina Owusu Banahene, addressing participants at the conference, urged the RCBs to review their policies and processes for recruitment and promotion to ensure that well-deserving women get a fair chance to get into top leadership positions.
“Shareholders must consciously ensure gender equality in board and top management composition in order to reap the benefits that women leaders bring to the table.
“Programmes to identify high potential women who can be groomed and trained to join the leadership track in RCBs must be encouraged,” she said.
Ms. Banahene, then, urged women to boldly strive to overcome barriers that hinder them from getting to the top, such as unconscious bias against women and glass ceiling syndrome.
She also encouraged the women to plan their personal and professional development and be motivated to grow professionally to take up leadership positions. In doing so, there will be more women in sustainable rural banking business for economic growth.
The conference was celebrated on the theme ‘Women in Sustainable Rural Banking Business for Economic Growth’.
ARB maiden National Women’s Conference (pictures)
